“When your client says their body changed overnight, she’s not exaggerating.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond
So many women arrive in perimenopause or menopause feeling blindsided by the changes in their bodies. They’re exercising, eating well, and they might even be using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but no matter what they do, they’re noticing weight gain around the middle, higher cholesterol, or shifts in their blood sugar. It can be discouraging for both the client and for us as practitioners when all the usual tools stop working. But these changes are not about willpower or doubling down. They’re about physiology.
During the menopause transition, the body goes through a true metabolic shift. Even women who seem to be perfectly healthy can experience significant changes in body composition, energy, and cardiovascular health. Research shows that each year of the menopause transition brings about a 1.7% increase in visceral fat and that LDL cholesterol can rise by up to 12%. Understanding how and why these physiological changes happen is the key to better supporting our midlife clients with compassion, structure, and confidence.
Today, I’m breaking down everything about metabolism in midlife. I’m sharing the key findings from the SWAN study, how hormones, insulin resistance, and SHBG work together to influence weight, blood sugar, and energy, practical strategies for assessing and supporting clients through these changes, integrating the Confidence in Complexity framework for long-term results, and more.
Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!
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Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-metabolic-shift-helping-women-clients-with-weight-gain-blood-sugar-and-cholesterol-in-midlife/.
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