Prediabetes and The Path to Better A1C: Blood Sugar, Energy, Brain Focus & Insulin Resistance

In this episode of the Path to Better A1C Podcast, Jenny Pena sits down with functional diagnostic practitioner, health coach, and host of The Period Whisperer Podcast, Bria Gadd, to discuss the real reasons so many women struggle with weight gain, fatigue, cravings, brain fog, poor sleep, and blood sugar imbalances during perimenopause and menopause.

If you feel like your body suddenly changed overnight, despite eating well, exercising, and “doing everything right”, then this episode is for you.

Jenny and Bria dive into:

• The connection between cortisol, hormones, and blood sugar

• Why women wake up between 2–4 AM during perimenopause

• Stress, adrenal health, and unexplained weight gain

• Why extreme dieting and over-exercising can backfire

• The truth about intermittent fasting for women

• How protein, sleep, walking, and nervous system support impact metabolism

• GLP-1 medications, weight regain, and metabolic health

• Why perimenopause may not be the root problem — but the tipping point

This conversation is packed with practical, sustainable strategies to support hormones, energy, metabolism, and long-term health without extreme approaches.

Connect with Bria Gadd:
Podcast: The Period Whisperer Podcast
Instagram: @bria_period_whisper

Message Bria on IG for a 50% discount using code JENNY on her menopause course!

Connect with Jenny:
Website: https://www.jennypena.com
Instagram: @coachjenp

Grab my free prediabetes roadmap guide: https://subscribepage.io/starterguide

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs to hear this conversation.

Could your hormones be affecting your blood sugar, cravings, sleep, mood, and even your relationships?

In this episode of Path to Better A1C, Jenny Pena breaks down the real science behind perimenopause and menopause, including the symptoms women are rarely warned about and why partners should understand this transition too.

From brain fog and anxiety to belly fat, cravings, sleep disruption, frozen shoulder, mood swings, and rising blood sugar, this episode explores how hormonal shifts during midlife can impact metabolism, emotional health, energy, and daily life.

Jenny discusses:

• The difference between perimenopause and menopause

• Why symptoms can begin in your late 30s or early 40s

• How hormonal changes affect blood sugar and weight

• The connection between stress, cravings, sleep, and metabolism

• Why strength training and protein become more important during midlife

• The role GLP-1 medications may play for some women

• Practical lifestyle shifts that support energy and metabolic health

• What partners can do to better support women during this stage of life

Whether you are navigating perimenopause yourself or trying to better understand what your partner is experiencing, this episode offers practical guidance, validation, and real conversation around a topic that too many people still avoid discussing openly.

🎧 Share this episode with a friend, sister, spouse, or partner who needs to hear it.

✨ Ready to support your blood sugar naturally and sustainably?📌 Book a Clarity Call with Coach Jenny:Book a Clarity Call -https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call📌 Download the Free Prediabetes Roadmap Guide:Prediabetes Roadmap Guide📌 Learn More About Coaching & Wellness Programs:https://www.jennypena.com/wellness📌 Follow Jenny on Instagram - @prediabeteswithjenny https://www.instagram.com/prediabeteswithjenny 🎧 New episodes of the Path to Better A1C Podcast are released every Friday morning.

Ep 75: Living with Type 1 Diabetes and Helping Others Do the Same — A Conversation with Melissa Slemp

In Episode 75 of the Path to Better A1C Podcast, I sit down with Melissa Slemp for an honest and empowering conversation about living with type 1 diabetes, navigating hormones and midlife health, and helping other women do the same.

Melissa Slemp is a Certified Health and Hormone Health Coach and the owner of Abundant Health with Melissa. Living with type 1 diabetes since age 14, Melissa understands firsthand how building a strong foundation of health, balance, and resilience can positively impact every area of life — from relationships and careers to confidence and overall well-being.

She is also the host of the Type 1 In Midlife Podcast, where she shares insights from her own diabetes journey and interviews guests who help women redefine what thriving with type 1 diabetes can look like through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ The differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
✨ Why blood sugar balance matters for everyone
✨ The connection between hormones, insulin resistance, and menopause
✨ Brain fog, cravings, energy crashes, and blood sugar spikes
✨ The emotional and mental load of managing diabetes
✨ Why restrictive diets often backfire
✨ Sustainable habits and routines that support long-term health
✨ How family members can better support loved ones living with diabetes
✨ The importance of understanding your labs and advocating for your health

Melissa also shares her own experience living with type 1 diabetes for over 40 years, how technology has transformed diabetes management, and why routines, nourishment, movement, and mindset matter so much when it comes to thriving long term.

This conversation is packed with practical insights, encouragement, and reminders that managing blood sugar is about so much more than avoiding sugar — it’s about understanding your body and creating a lifestyle you can realistically sustain.

🎙️ Connect with Melissa Slemp:

🌐 Website: Abundant Health with Melissa

🎁 Free Guide: HRT and Type 1 Diabetes – A Free 5-Step Guide

📸 Instagram: @type1.in.midlife

💼 LinkedIn: Melissa Slemp on LinkedIn

📧 Email: [email protected]

✨ Ready to support your blood sugar naturally and sustainably?

📌 Book a Clarity Call with Coach Jenny:
Book a Clarity Call

📌 Download the Free Prediabetes Roadmap Guide:
Prediabetes Roadmap Guide

📌 Learn More About Coaching & Wellness Programs:
Jenny Pena Coaching Website

📌 Follow Jenny on Instagram:
@prediabeteswithjenny

🎧 New episodes of the Path to Better A1C Podcast are released every Friday morning.

In this episode of Prediabetes and the Path to Better A1C, Jenny Pena breaks down the major differences between Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and the emerging concept of Type 3 diabetes.

If you’ve ever felt confused about insulin resistance, blood sugar imbalances, A1C levels, or why brain fog and energy crashes happen, this episode connects the dots in a simple and approachable way.

Inside this episode, Jenny explains:

• The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• What prediabetes actually means
• Why insulin resistance matters
• The warning signs many people ignore
• The connection between blood sugar and brain health
• What researchers are calling “Type 3 diabetes”
• Why knowing your A1C and fasting glucose numbers matters

Jenny also discusses how blood sugar balance can impact not only diabetes risk, but also mood, focus, cravings, energy levels, and long-term cognitive health.

Whether you’ve recently been diagnosed with prediabetes, are trying to prevent Type 2 diabetes, or want to better understand the relationship between insulin resistance and brain health, this episode will help you better understand what is happening inside your body without overwhelming medical jargon.

Episode 22 - Focus, Brain Fog & Fatigue Link here

Episode 54 1/2 - Brain Health, Red Light Therapy and Diabetes Link here

🎧 Connect with Jenny: https://www.jennypena.com

📘 Download the Free Prediabetes Roadmap Guide:
Prediabetes Roadmap Guide

📱 Instagram: @coachjenp

📅 Ready for support? Book a Clarity Call to discuss your blood sugar, elevated A1C, cravings, energy levels, and next steps: https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

📩 Questions or podcast topic requests?
Email: [email protected]

Ep 73: Your Gut Is Talking… Are You Listening? Gut Health, Blood Sugar & Functional Lab Testing - A Chat with Kim Heinz

What if your symptoms aren’t random…
but no one has actually looked deep enough to connect the dots?

In this episode, I sit down for a chat with Kim Heintz, functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, to explore the connection between gut health, blood sugar, and what functional lab testing can reveal that traditional approaches often miss.

Because here’s the reality: You can be doing everything “right”… and still feel stuck.

Kim shares her personal journey from chronic migraines, fatigue, and burnout to becoming symptom-free—and how taking a root-cause approach completely changed her health and career.

This is not just about adding more supplements or doing more things.It’s about understanding what your body is actually trying to tell you.

• What gut health really means (beyond the buzzwords)
• How gut health impacts blood sugar, hormones, and inflammation
• Why medications like GLP-1s can affect digestion—and what to be mindful of
• Simple habits that support your gut (and actually make a difference)
• The role of fiber, hydration, and movement in stabilizing blood sugar
• Common nutrient gaps like magnesium and electrolytes
• How functional lab testing can uncover hidden imbalances and root causes
• When it might be time to stop guessing and start looking deeper

If you have been feeling:

– frustrated with cravings or blood sugar swings
– confused by digestive symptoms
– low energy, foggy, or just “off”

This conversation will help you connect the dots.

Connect with Kim Heinz:

Email - [email protected]

Webpage - https://www.kimheintz.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kim.heintz/

Kim Heintz is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner who specializes in gut health and helping people get to the root cause of symptoms using functional lab testing instead of guesswork.

She created a free 4-part private podcast called The Gut–Hormone Connection, where she breaks down how the gut influences hormones, what might be driving symptoms like constipation, candida overgrowth, and low energy, and where to start if things feel off.

Listen to the free podcast series here: https://kim-wgfskmz7.scoreapp.com/

Kim's Magnesium IG Posts:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5slEBCSCw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTwPZu0DegN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Connect with Jenny:

📘Prediabetes Guide: https://wwwsubscribepage.io/starterguide

💊What to Focus on while using GLP-1s Guide: https://subscribepage.io/glp1

🗒️Balancing Snacks List: https://subscribepage.io/snacks

📞Book a FREE Call - https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

🌐 https://www.jennypena.com

📲 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coachjenp/

Most people don't wake up one morning with type 2 diabetes. The metabolic dysfunction behind it has usually been brewing for 5, 10, even 15 years before diagnosis — and most of the labs that could catch it early aren't part of your standard annual physical.

In this short prequel episode, Jenny breaks down the blood sugar labs every person should know about, whether or not diabetes runs in your family. You'll learn:

• What HbA1C actually measures, the conventional ranges, and why functional practitioners like to see it lower than most doctors do
• How fasting glucose works and why it can look perfectly normal while your body is quietly compensating
• Why fasting insulin is the single most underused lab in conventional medicine — and how it can reveal insulin resistance 5 to 15 years before your glucose ever changes
• How to ask your doctor for fasting insulin by name (and what to do with the HOMA-IR calculation when you have both numbers)
• Why your triglycerides and HDL often shift before your glucose does, and how the simple triglyceride-to-HDL ratio can tell you more about your metabolic health than total cholesterol ever will
• A sneak peek at next week's deep dive into functional labs — HTMA, continuous glucose monitors, organic acids testing, GI-MAP stool testing, and cortisol rhythm — with a special guest practitioner

FREE Resources:

📘Prediabetes Guide: https://subscribepage.io/starterguide

🍽️Dinner, Solved – https://subscribepage.io/dinnersolved

🗒️Snacks List: https://subscribepage.io/snacks

FREE Clarity Call - https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

🌐 https://www.jennypena.com

📲 Instagram   / coachjenp  

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health plan.

Ep 71: Prediabetes, Cravings & Metabolism: What Ayurveda Gets Right That Diets Miss - A chat with Kruti Thakore

In this episode of Path to Better A1C, I’m joined by Ayurvedic wellness practitioner Kruti Thakore, who shares a powerful and refreshing perspective on blood sugar, metabolism, and overall health through the lens of Ayurveda.

Kruti Thakore, M.Sc, B.Sc, MLT, ALC, AWP, NBC-HWC, is a compassionate Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach with a rich background in both modern science and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom.Kruti opens up about her personal journey—from years of crash dieting and metabolic struggles to discovering Ayurveda after experiencing loss in her family due to type 2 diabetes. That turning point led her to explore a more individualized, holistic approach to health that goes far beyond calories in vs. calories out.

Together, we break down the foundations of Ayurveda in a simple, practical way, including:

• The concept of doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) and how your unique body type influences metabolism
• Why two people can eat the same foods and get completely different results
• How imbalances (not just weight) can drive conditions like insulin resistance, PCOS, and type 2 diabetes
• The role of daily rhythms, meal timing, and seasons in blood sugar regulation
• Why your largest meal should be midday and how late-night eating impacts recovery and metabolism

Kruti also shares actionable strategies you can start using today, including:

• How to balance blood sugar by incorporating bitter and astringent foods
• Why movement after meals is one of the most underrated tools for glucose control
• Simple lifestyle shifts that improve insulin sensitivity without extreme dieting
• The importance of eating to 70% fullness to support digestion and metabolic health

This conversation is a powerful reminder that health is not one-size-fits-all—and that sustainable change comes from understanding your body, not fighting it.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing everything right” but not seeing results, this episode will give you a whole new way to look at your health.

How to connect with Kruti:

Website - https://www.krutithakore.com

Free resource - https://www.krutithakore.com/optimal-well-being-method

Instagram - @radianthealth_ayurvedic_clinic

FREE Resources:📘Prediabetes Guide: https://wwwsubscribepage.io/starterguide💊What to Focus on while using GLP-1s Guide: https://subscribepage.io/glp1🍽️Dinner, Solved – Dinner ideas: https://jennypena.kit.com/dinner🗒️Balancing Snacks List: https://subscribepage.io/snacks📞Book a FREE Call - https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call🌐 https://www.jennypena.com📲 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coachjenp/

Episode 70: What Ancient Healing Systems Teach Us About Blood Sugar Balance

We often talk about blood sugar through the lens of labs, A1C, insulin resistance, nutrition, movement, and sleep.

But what if we looked at it through a completely different lens?

In this episode, I explore how Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been thinking about energy, cravings, digestion, and metabolic balance for thousands of years.

While the language may be different, what fascinated me most is how often these ancient systems point back to the same foundations we know matter for blood sugar health:

• digestion and meal rhythm

• stress support

• sleep quality

• movement

• reducing processed foods

• supporting steady energy

We talk about concepts like Kapha imbalance, digestive fire (Agni), Qi, and dampness accumulation and how these may overlap with what we now call insulin resistance, fatigue, cravings, and brain fog.

This episode is a fresh perspective on prediabetes and blood sugar balance — and a reminder that many healing traditions often lead us back to the same foundations.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• how Ayurveda views blood sugar imbalance

• what TCM says about fatigue, cravings, and energy crashes

• why digestion plays such a central role

• practical lifestyle shifts that support better blood sugar

This is also the perfect prequel to next week’s guest episode with a certified Ayurvedic practitioner.

Free Resource: Download the Prediabetes Roadmap to get started with 3 simple steps to support your blood sugar.

https://www.subscribepage.io/starterguide

Episode 69: Irregular Periods, PCOS, and Insulin Resistance — The Hormone Connection

Irregular periods, painful cycles, fertility struggles, and symptoms like fatigue or brain fog are more common than many women realize. But what many people don’t know is that these symptoms are often connected to hormone balance, blood sugar regulation, and metabolic health.

In this episode of the Path to Better A1C Podcast, Jenny Pena welcomes Vanda Aubrey, RN functional medicine nurse and founder of Wellness with Vanda, to discuss the connection between irregular periods, PCOS, insulin resistance, and mineral balance.

Together, they explore how metabolic health and hormone health are closely linked — and why addressing nutrition, minerals, hydration, and lifestyle habits can play a powerful role in improving symptoms.

This episode is especially helpful for women in their 30s and 40s experiencing irregular cycles, PMS symptoms, fertility challenges, or early signs of insulin resistance.

• Why PCOS is often connected to metabolic health and insulin resistance
• The link between blood sugar balance and hormone regulation
• How irregular periods and fertility challenges may be related to metabolic health
• Why many women may be undereating and unintentionally impacting hormones
• The surprising role of minerals and electrolytes in hormone balance
• Practical ways to improve hydration and support your body with mineral-rich foods
• How balanced meals help prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes
• Simple lifestyle strategies that support hormone health and energy levels

Jenny and Vanda also discuss why many women experience symptoms even when lab work appears “normal,” and why learning to understand your own menstrual cycle patterns can provide powerful insights into your overall health.

✔ Supporting your body with minerals and electrolytes
✔ Eating balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
✔ Monitoring your menstrual cycle patterns
✔ Understanding how blood sugar affects hormones

If you are dealing with irregular periods, PCOS symptoms, fertility challenges, or blood sugar issues, this conversation will help you better understand what may be happening in your body and where to start.

How to connect with Vanda:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.wellnesswithvanda.com/

FREE Guide: https://www.wellnesswithvanda.com/minerals-for-mamas-guide/

How to Connect with Jenny:

📘FREE Prediabetes Guide: https://wwwsubscribepage.io/starterguide

🍽️FREE Dinner, Solved Guide: https://jennypena.kit.com/dinner

🗒️FREE Balancing Snacks List: https://subscribepage.io/snacks

📞Book a FREE Call - https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

🌐 https://www.jennypena.com

📲 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coachjenp/

Many women who struggle with irregular periods, PCOS, fertility challenges, fatigue, or stubborn weight gain are often told the problem is purely hormonal.

But what many people don’t realize is that blood sugar balance and insulin resistance play a major role in hormone health.

In this episode of the Path to Better A1C Podcast, Jenny Pena, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach, explains the connection between hormones, blood sugar, and metabolic health.

Understanding this relationship can help explain why many women with PCOS or irregular menstrual cycles experience symptoms like cravings, energy crashes, mood swings, and difficulty losing weight.

Jenny breaks down the key hormones involved and explains how insulin resistance can disrupt ovulation, menstrual cycles, and overall hormone balance.

• How insulin affects hormone balance
• Why insulin resistance is common in PCOS
• The role of estrogen and progesterone in menstrual health
• How cortisol (the stress hormone) can impact blood sugar and hormones
• Signs that blood sugar imbalance may be affecting your hormones
• Why more women are experiencing metabolic dysfunction earlier in life
• Simple strategies to support both hormone balance and blood sugar stability

This episode also sets the stage for the next conversation on the podcast, where Jenny will be joined by functional medicine nurse Vanda to dive deeper into hormones, minerals, and practical strategies for women experiencing irregular periods.

🎧 If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who may be struggling with PCOS, irregular periods, or blood sugar imbalance.