Hi Reader,

One of the most common things I hear from the women I work with is:

"I never had insulin resistance in my thirties."

Or...

"My cholesterol suddenly went up."

"My blood sugar isn't what it used to be."

If you've ever wondered why so many of these changes seem to happen around the same time, the answer usually isn't just one number on a blood test.

It's something much bigger: your metabolic health.

One of the things I love most about what I do is getting to know the women I work with on a personal level. I know whose children graduated from high school or college, who recently got engaged, who's caring for aging parents, and who's lying awake at night because of stress at work. Those things matter because they influence what's happening inside the body. Our daily habits, stress, sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindset all affect our metabolic health.

I've written about metabolic health before, but it's a topic worth revisiting because it becomes increasingly important as we age. While hormonal changes during the menopause transition influence many of these shifts, there is still so much within our control. Many aspects of metabolic health can be improved through consistent lifestyle habits.

One of the things that really interests me is that these changes rarely happen in isolation. Instead, they often begin showing up together.

• Waist circumference increases.
• Fasting insulin rises.
• Blood sugar becomes less stable.
• Triglycerides climb.
• HDL drops.
• Blood pressure creeps upward.
• Inflammation increases.
• Muscle mass declines.
• Visceral fat accumulates.

Not because women suddenly became lazy.

Because the hormonal environment is changing.

That is an incredibly important distinction.

It's one of the reasons I'm just as interested in someone's metabolic health as I am in whether they can do push-ups.

I run my business as a system. When I meet someone for the first time, I send a health history questionnaire, ask about their goals, create a plan, and then we build from there. Every part of that system supports the next. If I skip a step, eventually something breaks down.

Your metabolism works much the same way.

• It's not one lab value.
• It's how efficiently your body manages energy.
• It's how well your muscles respond to insulin.
• It's how your liver handles glucose.
• It's how your body stores—or burns—fat.
• It's how well your cells produce energy.
• It's how resilient your body is under stress.

That's why I don't panic when someone tells me their cholesterol is high.

The last thing anyone needs is fear and anxiety run amok. I've had lab values outside the "normal" range too. About three years ago, while experimenting with a strict carnivore diet, my liver enzymes became elevated. That was a wake-up call that, although carnivore works well for some people, it wasn't the best fit for my own physiology. We are all unique. Today I eat what I would describe as a lower-carbohydrate Mediterranean-style diet that includes fish, occasional legumes, beef, poultry, plenty of vegetables, fermented foods, and raw dairy.

When someone has elevated cholesterol, I want to understand the bigger picture.

I want to know about the person’s:

• HDL

• Triglycerides

• LDL pattern

• Fasting insulin

• Fasting glucose

• Hemoglobin A1C

• Waist circumference

• Blood pressure

• Muscle mass

• Body composition

• Inflammatory markers

• Liver function

Looking at one number without understanding everything else is like booking a hotel for your vacation based on a single review without reading any of the others. My coaching philosophy has always been "Lifestyle Medicine."

That doesn't mean I'm totally anti-medication. Medications absolutely have their place. But before relying on a prescription, I believe we should ask an important question:

"Have we truly exhausted the lifestyle factors that influence metabolic health?"

• Many women haven't.
• They've tried eating less.
• They've tried exercising harder.
• They've tried another diet.
• But they've never been shown “how” all the pieces fit together.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years is this:

"Solutions may be simple, but people are complicated."

We can't expect ourselves—or anyone else—to change everything overnight. Human beings naturally resist change. That's why I encourage women to focus on consistency instead of perfection.

Start with two workouts a week and invest in a good water filtration system. Just do that for about three to four weeks.

Practice that until it feels like part of your life.

Then build from there.

Over time those small habits become routines, and those routines become your lifestyle.

There are a few principles I come back to again and again:

• You can't out-train a poor diet.
• You can't sleep four or five hours a night and expect your hormones to cooperate.
• You can't ignore chronic stress while hoping inflammation disappears.

Your body responds to the cumulative effect of your daily habits—not one healthy meal or one great workout. It’s why I say, “You are your habits.”

The encouraging news is that metabolic health is remarkably adaptable.

Even after menopause, muscle can be rebuilt. Insulin sensitivity can improve. Inflammation can decrease. Strength can increase. Energy can return.

That's why I do what I do.

Some of the best feedback I receive isn't just that someone lost inches or gained muscle. It's hearing that they're sleeping better, their relationships are better, they feel more confident, can handle life's daily challenges with greater ease, and feel like themselves again.

Those physical changes may be what bring women through my door, but what keeps me passionate about this work is helping them build a healthier, stronger life from the “inside out’

I don't believe in quick fixes.

But I do believe in what happens when women consistently build healthier habits over time.

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Many blessings to you for abundant health, happiness and wellbeing ~

Strong and Beautiful in Midlife!

Sharon

Kuhle Body is a project of Vidya Ministerium, a faith based, private membership association. Services are available to members only. Membership is free and we are always accepting new members. You can opt out at any time. For more information, please read our PMA Declaration.​