👉🏽 Small, consistent inputs shape energy, stress responses, and long-term health in ways lab averages often miss. Here’s how movement works the same way.

Avoiding diabetes is not the only thing that makes you age well. Stable blood sugar supports lean mass, cognitive function, and blood vessel health, says Ghiyam.

Dr. Bronwyn Holmes, MD, medical advisor at Eden, a metabolic health platform, agrees: “Blood sugar regulation is foundational to so many systems, yet it’s often ignored until things get severe enough for a diabetes or heart disease diagnosis. But dysregulated glucose impacts women’s resilience decades earlier. It’s tied to:

Hormones play a bigger role than we realize. In women, the body’s ability to handle blood sugar is closely tied to hormonal shifts over time.

Estrogen helps the body use insulin better and store fat in a healthy way. As our levels fluctuate during our menstrual cycles and then drop during perimenopause and menopause, women become more sensitive to glucose. 

“Even for women who are eating clean and feeling ‘healthy’ on paper, stress and hormonal shifts can cause blood sugar rollercoasters that fly under the radar. What we’re seeing in research is that blood sugar doesn't just reflect carbs, it reflects the nervous system, too,” says Holmes.

A common mistake is assuming everything is fine if A1c (a blood test that estimates average blood sugar over about three months) is normal. A1c reflects an average—it doesn’t capture day-to-day swings.

“Two women can have the same A1c level, but very different glucose levels,” says Ghiyam. One may stay relatively stable, while the other experiences repeated spikes and dips that strain the body, worsen symptoms, and increase inflammation over time.

Why do glucose spikes and dips matter? Repeated spikes and dips in glucose can make the body need more insulin, cause visceral fat to build up, and tell the liver to make more triglycerides.

That pattern can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, problems with the endothelium (the thin inner lining of blood vessels that helps regulate blood flow and inflammation), and faster cardiometabolic aging over time.

Managing glucose volatility early helps lower the risk of problems down the line and keeps your energy, brain function, and body composition stable before you get sick.

The good news? Many of the longevity tools we often talk about help manage blood sugar stability. For instance, meditation and strength training. 

Beyond A1c, also look at: 

These early signs can help you catch physiological changes sooner, rather than turning them into a medical issue.

Aging with stable blood sugar supports brain function, cardiovascular health, and hormonal regulation. Best of all, it's modifiable through diet, stress management, movement, and clinical oversight, often before medication is needed. You just have to be paying attention early on.

We’re bringing this conversation to life at our upcoming Livelong Women’s Health Summit. On April 17–18 at The Masonic in San Francisco, we connect the science of stress, metabolism, and aging with what actually works in real life for real women. Explore the agenda, and use the code TIFFANY for a special discount on your ticket.

Can’t wait for the live event? Join the Women’s Livelong Lab — our private online community focused on longevity, health, and real-life experience.

Interested in participating as a vendor? Connect with a highly engaged audience of women invested in long-term health. View the media kit for more information.

If you’re passionate about women’s health and longevity, we’d love to have you join our Ambassador program for the upcoming Summit. See the details and apply here.

We asked, you answered: Which feels more true most days?

‘I move frequently, even in small ways’ led the answers. Nice! But even if you aren’t making moves right now, it’s never too late to start. 🚶🏽‍♀️

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