Dr. Mary Claire Haver: How To Navigate Menopause & Perimenopause For Maximum Health & Vitality [61d810]
2025-09-13
Maintaining a Healthy Blood Sugar Range: A Guide to Optimal Living
Blood sugar control is crucial for overall health, and maintaining a healthy range can have numerous benefits. The ideal blood sugar range varies depending on factors such as age, sex, and medical conditions. For most adults without diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends keeping fasting glucose levels below 100 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) and post-meal glucose levels under 140 mg/dL.
Understanding Your Blood Sugar Range
Measuring blood sugar regularly is essential to maintaining optimal health. There are various tools available for monitoring blood sugar at home, including glucometers and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Glucometers provide a quick reading of your current glucose level, while normal blood sugar levels for prediabetes CGMs track how can i lower blood sugar without medication levels throughout the day. Regular monitoring helps you identify patterns in your blood sugar fluctuations and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
The Impact of Diet on Blood Sugar Control
Diet plays a significant role in regulating blood sugar levels. Certain foods can cause spikes or drops in blood sugar, making it essential to choose wisely. Include fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes in your diet as they slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. Foods high on the glycemic index (GI), such as white bread and sugary snacks, should be avoided.
The Role of Physical Activity in Blood Sugar Regulation
Regular exercise is vital for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, allowing cells to absorb glucose more efficiently. However, it's essential to choose activities wisely; high-intensity workouts can cause a temporary spike in blood sugar followed by a crash when the body replenishes energy stores.
Stress Management and Blood Sugar Fluctuations
Chronic stress is known to impact blood sugar levels negatively. The body releases cortisol, which causes blood glucose levels to rise. Stress management techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help mitigate this effect.
Achieving a Healthy Blood Sugar Range: Lifestyle Adjustments
Maintaining healthy sleep patterns is crucial for regulating blood sugar levels. Poor sleep quality leads to increased insulin resistance and higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. blood sugar level 580 Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and establish a relaxing bedtime routine to promote better rest.
Supplements That Support Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
While diet and lifestyle play significant roles in blood sugar control, certain supplements can provide additional support. Chromium supplements have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood glucose levels. However, always consult with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplement to your regimen.
By incorporating these guidelines into daily life – monitoring blood sugar regularly, choosing the right foods for optimal nutrition, staying physically active, managing stress effectively, sleeping soundly each night – individuals can strive towards maintaining a healthy range that's vital for overall well-being.
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, a board-certified OB/GYN and an expert on women’s health and menopause. We discuss the biology and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and their effects on body composition, cardiometabolic health, mental health, and longevity. She explains the lifestyle factors, including nutrition, resistance training, sleep, and supplements, that can better prepare women for and improve symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause. We also discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whether HRT impacts the incidence of breast cancer or can affect cardiovascular health. We also discuss contraception, cellulite, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This episode is rich in actionable information related to what is known about menopause and perimenopause and the stages before, allowing women of all ages to best navigate these life stages. Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, books, people mentioned, and additional resources: Thank you to our sponsors AG1: AeroPress: Eight Sleep: BetterHelp: InsideTracker: Huberman Lab Social & Website Instagram: Threads: Twitter: Facebook: TikTok: LinkedIn: Website: Newsletter: Dr. Mary Claire Haver Clinical website: The ‘Pause Life: The New Menopause (book): The Galveston Diet: TikTok: Instagram: YouTube: Facebook: LinkedIn: Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Mary Claire Haver 00:02:04 Sponsors: AeroPress, Eight Sleep & BetterHelp 00:06:26 Menopause, Age of Onset 00:09:50 Perimenopause, Hormones & “Zone of Chaos” 00:14:42 Perimenopause, Estrogen & Mental Health 00:20:04 Perimenopause Symptoms; Tool: Lifestyle Factors & Ovarian Health 00:25:26 Early Menopause, Premature Ovarian Failure; Estrogen Therapy 00:29:42 Sponsor: AG1 00:31:31 Contraception, Transdermal, IUDs; Menopause Onset, Freezing Eggs 00:38:18 Women’s Health: Misconceptions & Research 00:45:01 Tool: Diet, Preparing for Peri-/Menopause; Visceral Fat 00:48:31 Tools: Body Composition, Muscle & Menopause, Protein Intake 00:51:42 Menopause: Genetics, Symptoms; Tools: Waist-to-Hip Ratio; Gut Microbiome 00:58:22 Galveston vs. Mediterranean Diet, Fasting, Tool: Building Muscle 01:05:18 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:06:29 Hot Flashes; Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Breast Cancer Risk & Cognition 01:15:36 Estrogen HRT, Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Clotting; “Meno-posse” 01:24:00 Estrogen & Testosterone: Starting HRT & Ranges 01:30:36 Other Hormones, Thyroid & DHEA; Local Treatment, Urinary Symptoms 01:37:57 OB/GYN Medical Education & Menopause 01:41:30 Supplements, Fiber, Tools: Osteoporosis “Prevention Pack” 01:46:53 Collagen, Cellulite, Bone Density 01:51:42 HRT, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Dry Eye; Conditions Precluding HRT 01:55:27 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) & Treatment; GLP-1, Addictive Behaviors 02:01:55 Post-menopause & HRT, Sustained HRT Usage 02:04:58 Mental Health, Perimenopause vs. Menopause; Sleep Disruptions, Alcohol 02:09:09 Male Support; Rekindle Libido 02:12:46 HRT Rash Side-Effect; Acupuncture; Visceral Fat 02:16:24 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #WomensHealth #Health Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - Disclaimer: