Let’s talk about something most of us were never prepared for:
As we enter perimenopause and menopause, our hormones don’t just impact mood swings or hot flashes — they also disrupt our metabolism and increase insulin resistance.
As we enter perimenopause and menopause, our hormones don’t just impact mood swings or hot flashes — they also disrupt our metabolism and increase insulin resistance.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:
🩸 Estrogen naturally supports insulin sensitivity.
So when estrogen levels drop, our cells don’t respond to insulin as effectively — making it harder to regulate blood sugar, store fat properly, and feel stable and energized.
So when estrogen levels drop, our cells don’t respond to insulin as effectively — making it harder to regulate blood sugar, store fat properly, and feel stable and energized.
At the same time, we often see a rise in cortisol, our main stress hormone.
Whether it’s from work, caregiving, poor sleep, or the emotional changes of this life stage — chronic stress can keep cortisol levels elevated.
And high cortisol? It spikes blood sugar, worsens insulin resistance, and makes weight loss (especially belly fat) feel nearly impossible.
And high cortisol? It spikes blood sugar, worsens insulin resistance, and makes weight loss (especially belly fat) feel nearly impossible.
Together, low estrogen and high cortisol create a perfect storm — one that impacts:
- Weight gain, especially around the midsection
- Cravings and energy crashes
- Brain fog and mood dips
- Disrupted sleep and restless legs
- Elevated blood sugar and cholesterol
- A general sense of “off”
We’re told it’s just “aging.”
But it’s not just that.
It’s hormonal — and it’s manageable.
But it’s not just that.
It’s hormonal — and it’s manageable.
💡 What You Can Do
You can’t stop the hormonal shifts — but you can reset your body’s response.
By supporting insulin sensitivity and managing cortisol, you can reduce symptoms and feel like yourself again.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
✅ Intermittent Fasting — to give the body time to rebalance hormones
✅ Fiber-first meals — to stabilize blood sugar
✅ Natural supplements — to support insulin and reduce inflammation
✅ Stress reduction — walking, journaling, nature, breathwork
✅ Consistent sleep — no screens, steady rhythms, magnesium if needed
✅ Supportive movement — gentle strength training or walking daily
✅ Fiber-first meals — to stabilize blood sugar
✅ Natural supplements — to support insulin and reduce inflammation
✅ Stress reduction — walking, journaling, nature, breathwork
✅ Consistent sleep — no screens, steady rhythms, magnesium if needed
✅ Supportive movement — gentle strength training or walking daily
Because I followed this path, I’ve:
✨ Lost 30 lbs
✨ Lowered my blood sugar and cholesterol
✨ Eliminated hot flashes and restless leg
✨ Gained energy, clarity, and peace with my body again
✨ Lost 30 lbs
✨ Lowered my blood sugar and cholesterol
✨ Eliminated hot flashes and restless leg
✨ Gained energy, clarity, and peace with my body again
If you’re navigating this season and feel like your body is fighting you — you’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong.
You just need different tools for a new chapter.
You just need different tools for a new chapter.
📩 Want to learn what worked for me? Just send me a message — I’ll walk you through it.
Or if you'd like an Intermittent Fasting Guide for Women (with or without a cycle), let me know — I'll send it to you.
Rachel xoxo
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This week’s reset moment comes from my duck, Tilly.
It’s been 90 degrees outside, and for two days, a brand-new, bigger pool sat in the backyard — full, ready, and waiting. But did she use it? Nope. Not once.
Instead, she paced. Stared. Stayed dry.
So today, I gave in. I pulled out her old pool, the one she knows. Within minutes, she jumped right in, splashing around like she’d found water for the first time.
And it hit me: how often do we do this too?
We stick with what’s comfortable.
We stay “small.”
Even when something better — bigger, more freeing — is sitting just a few steps away.
We stay “small.”
Even when something better — bigger, more freeing — is sitting just a few steps away.
Why? Because it’s unfamiliar. Because we’re afraid to try.
Tilly had the opportunity to enjoy something so much better, but she couldn’t get past her comfort zone.
Sound familiar?
We do this all the time.
That new job you haven’t applied for.
The lifestyle change you keep saying you’ll “start Monday.”
The creative dream you haven’t touched because it feels too scary, too big.
But what if… you just tried?
Today, I want to gently challenge you:
Do the thing.
Try the scary new thing you’ve been thinking about.
Maybe it’s a 24-hour fast.
Maybe it’s journaling, moving your body, or finally standing up for yourself.
Maybe it’s journaling, moving your body, or finally standing up for yourself.
Because here’s what I’ve learned: growth lives on the other side of the unfamiliar.
I’m not the same person my husband Ed married 32 years ago.
Since then I’ve become a mom, a caregiver, a nurse, an author, a health advocate, and a business owner.
But before all of that — before nursing school at 38 — I was nothing like this.
I didn’t even fly because I was scared.
Since then I’ve become a mom, a caregiver, a nurse, an author, a health advocate, and a business owner.
But before all of that — before nursing school at 38 — I was nothing like this.
I didn’t even fly because I was scared.
I used to be like Tilly.
But now? I’m not afraid to dip my toe — or jump headfirst — into the bigger pool.
Because I’ve learned: amazing things are always just beyond the edge of your comfort zone.
If you feel moved, share your story with me.
What’s your “bigger pool” moment?
I’d love to hear it — and cheer you on.
Rachel xoxo
PS — A Little Tilly Update 7/16/25 🦆
Well her old pool got a leak, and we had to toss it. I tried again with the bigger pool — no luck.
So we bought her another small round one, similar to what she was used to (they only had a lighter color though).
And guess what she did?
She stared at it. For five days.
She stared at it. For five days.
But then? She jumped in and did her signature zoomies — splashing, spinning, and loving every minute.
So maybe bigger isn’t always better… but with a little patience and encouragement, change can still bring joy.
So maybe bigger isn’t always better… but with a little patience and encouragement, change can still bring joy.
Tilly’s living her best summer life now — and maybe, just maybe, that’s your sign too. 💛
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This isn’t about blame. It’s about power.
And the power to change your health? It’s still yours — even now.
Most women I talk to have tried it all:
- The calorie counting
- The low-fat diets
- The walking 10,000 steps a day
- The supplements, smoothies, and new year resets
And still… the scale barely moves.
The fatigue lingers.
And the labs? “You’re borderline.” “We’ll just watch it.”
Or worse — “This is just what happens with age.”
But here’s what I wish more women over 50 knew:
Your body isn’t broken. Your blood sugar isn’t the enemy.
The real problem is insulin resistance — and no one’s talking about it in a way that feels clear, hopeful, or doable.
🌿 What I Didn’t Know — Until It Was Personal
I spent over 7 years as a hospice nurse. I saw the end stages of illness — and the toll chronic disease takes when the root cause is ignored.
Most of those patients weren’t “just sick.” They were insulin resistant for decades. And no one told them they could change that.
Then, in 2024, my mom had 3 strokes.
We were offered pills — not solutions.
We were offered pills — not solutions.
But I couldn’t unsee what I knew.
So I had just dug into the research. I found a plant-based, clinically-backed protocol built on intermittent fasting and two natural supplements, just prior to her strokes. She wanted to get started as soon as she left the hospital.
📉 Her A1C dropped from 7.2 to 5.7 in under 3 months.
📊 Her lipid panel came back better than ever.
📊 Her lipid panel came back better than ever.
✨ And she started to feel… herself again.
That’s when I knew this message had to get louder.
💬 The Truth That Set Me Free
Here’s what I now believe with everything in me:
- Most women over 50 are undiagnosed insulin resistant
- Most doctors are focused on blood sugar, not insulin
- Most health advice ignores metabolic healing
- Most symptoms are reversible — with the right system
- And most importantly: you’re not too late.
✨ What I’d Tell Every Woman Over 50
If you’re tired of feeling foggy, inflamed, puffy, or powerless — here’s what I want you to know:
- Fasting isn’t extreme — it’s freedom
- Fiber isn’t optional — it’s foundational
- Blood sugar isn’t just a diabetes issue — it’s a hormone issue
- And insulin resistance isn’t your fault — but it is your signal to reset
You deserve better support. Better energy. Better answers.
That’s why I now teach what I practice: a natural, sustainable reset.
Because we don’t just need to “feel better” — we need to feel great.
📥 Want to learn more?
Grab my free checklist:
“10 Signs It’s Not Just Aging — It’s Insulin Resistance”
👉 [Download it here]
“10 Signs It’s Not Just Aging — It’s Insulin Resistance”
👉 [Download it here]
In wellness,
Rachel
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