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If your afternoon crashes and cravings are calling the shots, your blood sugar—not your willpower—might be driving the show. In this episode, Brigid breaks down how daily spikes and crashes in blood sugar sabotage energy, hormone health, sleep, and body composition—and the simple, science-backed meal tweaks that will stabilize your day without going low-carb.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode

• Why blood sugar balance matters for energy, hormones, sleep, and longevity
  
• The “roller coaster” effect—and how healthy foods can still spike glucose
  
• Women’s health: perimenopause/menopause, PCOS, postpartum & insulin sensitivity
  
• The insulin “school bus” analogy you’ll never forget
  
• Real-life fixes: plate-building, protein goals, fiber, and post-meal movement
  
• How CGMs, cravings, and consistency fit into functional nutrition
  
• Quick wins to improve inflammation, cravings, and sleep quality—fast
  

Timestamps

00:03 – Intro: Why blood sugar is a women’s health power lever
02:12 – The “roller coaster” & how common foods trigger spikes
04:39 – Hormones, perimenopause/menopause & insulin resistance
06:51 – Fatigue stats, cravings, and energy dips explained
07:30 – Real client wins: labs, perimenopause symptoms, sleep
09:09 – Blood Sugar 101: glucose, insulin & metabolic health
11:29 – The insulin “school bus” analogy
13:48 – Pregnancy, postpartum, gestational diabetes—what shifts
20:55 – Beyond carb counting: functional nutrition for type 1 & type 2
23:17 – GLP-1s, HRT & why food-first strategies matter
27:53 – Weight & body composition: insulin as a fat-storing hormone
36:57 – Your plan: whole foods, protein, fiber, three meals
44:00 – What’s Included in the 7-Day Blood Sugar Reset
46:21 – How to join the Blood Sugar Reset

Why Blood Sugar Is the Hidden Lever in Women’s Health

Blood sugar balance impacts far more than diabetes risk. In women’s nutrition and functional medicine, steady glucose supports hormone health (perimenopause to post-menopause), thyroid function, inflammation control, and day-to-day energy. If you’re “doing everything right” but still battling brain fog, cravings, or poor sleep, imbalanced meals may be the root cause.

The Roller Coaster: Spikes, Crashes & “Healthy” Foods

You don’t need soda or fast food to spike glucose. Oatmeal without protein, rice cakes with nut butter, or brown rice and beans solo can push blood sugar high—followed by the crash that drives cravings and afternoon slumps. A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) can reveal your patterns, but you can also fix the basics without one.

Hormones, Perimenopause & Insulin Sensitivity

As estrogen fluctuates (perimenopause, postpartum) and declines (menopause), insulin sensitivity drops—raising the stakes for blood sugar balance. Stabilizing glucose can ease perimenopause symptoms, support body composition, and reduce chronic inflammation that fuels PMS, PCOS, and Hashimoto’s flares.

Metabolic Basics You’ll Actually Remember

Think of insulin as the school bus and glucose as students. Too many students (high-glycemic meals) overwhelm the buses, requiring more insulin and—over time—leading to insulin resistance. Excess glucose then reroutes to the liver and fat cells, raising triglycerides and increasing risk for fatty liver and chronic disease.

Sleep, Cravings & Energy: The Feedback Loop

High-glycemic meals predict restless nights and mid-day energy crashes. Poor sleep then increases appetite for fast energy (sugar/refined carbs). Break the loop with balanced meals and small habit shifts—especially a short walk after eating.

Simple, Science-Backed Fixes (No, You Don’t Have to Go Low-Carb)

• Build a balanced plate: protein, fiber, healthy fats
  
• 3 real meals, less grazing
  
• Move after meals: 10–15 minutes of walking meaningfully improves glucose
  
• Consistency > perfection: small, repeatable habits restore metabolic flexibility
  

Real Outcomes from Functional Nutrition

From improved A1C and lipid panels to fewer perimenopause symptoms, better sleep, and steadier energy—women consistently see results with personalized nutrition coaching and accountability. Food is medicine, and consistency is the multiplier.

Next Steps & Links

Join Brigid’s 7-Day Blood Sugar Reset for an anti-inflammatory meal plan, live coaching, and a supportive community to improve energy, cravings, sleep, and hormone health.

+ Join the Blood Sugar Reset here

+ Brigid’s Website

+ Brigid’s Instagram 

+ Watch the full episode on YouTube here