Type 1 In Midlife: Perimenopause, Menopause & Type 1 Diabetes

If your basal insulin suddenly feels wrong, morning highs, overnight lows, or afternoons that make no sense, you're not imagining it, and you're not failing at diabetes. In this solo episode of the Type 1 in Midlife, I'm breaking down why basal insulin becomes a moving target during perimenopause, especially for women on multiple daily injections (MDI). We'll talk about how fluctuating estrogen, p...

In this episode, I'm pressing pause and taking a deep breath. As we step into a new year, I'm reflecting on what 2025 revealed—about hormones, insulin needs, burnout, faith, and what women ith diabetes truly need more of. This year was full of honest conversations about perimenopause, menopause, sleep, cortisol, insulin resistance, and learning to trust your body again. I'm also sharing what's ahe...

In this powerful episode, Melissa sits down with Aisha Coons, medical copywriter, researcher, and creator behind Heed Her Health and Her Homeostasis . Diagnosed with both Type 1 diabetes and hypothyroidism at age four, Aisha shares her lifelong journey of learning to balance multiple autoimmune conditions while navigating the hormonal shifts of womanhood.   Together, Melissa and Aisha explore: How...

This week, Melissa gets real about the three lessons that shaped her health, her training, and her mindset in 2025 — and how you can carry these into 2026 with less pressure and more clarity. If you've been feeling stretched thin, sprinting through December, pushing your workouts harder than your body seems to tolerate… this one is going to speak right to you. Inside, she walks through: Why she sh...

https://tamistackelhouse.com/fibromyalgia-podcast/ If you've ever wondered why your fatigue, pain, or brain fog feels bigger than it should — this episode is for you. Melissa sits down with Tami Stackelhouse , award-winning author, founder of the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute , host of the Fibromyalgia Podcast® , and executive producer of the feature documentary INVISIBLE . Tami sh...

If you're questioning whether you're asking too much or too little from your doctor, you're not alone. Get the support and clarity you deserve inside the Type 1 In Midlife Community   Join us in the circle for a 14-day free trial https://www.abundanthealthwithmelissa.com/joingroupcoaching2025 In this solo episode, I'm taking you inside my most recent endocrinology appointment—the good, the frustra...

Have you ever wondered how your dental health connects to your hormones, your immune system, or even your blood sugar? My guest today, Dr. Toni Engram, is here to pull back the curtain on the powerful — and often overlooked — mouth-body connection. Dr. Engram is a biological dentist, integrative health coach, and owner of Flourish Dental Boutique in Richardson, TX. After walking through her own jo...

Diagnosed at age 12, Kaycee Parker has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years—and she's turned her experience into encouragement for others. A writer with a storyteller's heart (she jokes it's her Irish heritage), Kaycee blends her love of faith and food into a message of hope, balance, and grace. In this heartfelt episode, Kaycee joins Melissa Slemp to share: The story behind her new cookbo...

Today's guest is Dr. Matt Rieder, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Renew Strength and Wellness. Matt jokes that he "gets hurt a lot", on the amateur level, but turned that experience into a career helping others put themselves back together. A lifelong athlete and exercise enthusiast, he believes the human body can stay strong, flexible, pain-free, and ready for anything, no matter your a...

Ever wake up to a CGM alarm at 2 a.m. and wonder why you're high (or low) even after doing everything "right"? In this solo episode, Melissa breaks down how perimenopause, pump settings, and shifting hormones can turn sleep into a nightly puzzle—and what to do about it. You'll learn: Why melatonin, estrogen, and cortisol can all mess with your sleep How nighttime insulin settings and the dawn phen...

Menopause isn't the end—it's a new beginning, especially when we learn how to influence the way we age. In this episode, Melissa sits down with Zora Benhamou. Zora is a gerontologist, biohacker, and host of the Hack My Age podcast, where she helps women break menopause stigma and ageist stereotypes. At 55, she's a digital nomad and passionate educator who inspires women in peri- and post-menopause...

If your blood sugars rise the moment stress hits—or you notice your mornings start high for no clear reason—this episode will help you understand why. Dr. Dawn Browning joins me to explore how the nervous system, hormones, and daily stress patterns shape blood sugar balance. Dawn is a research scientist, certified yoga therapist, and Pranayama teacher who has lived with Type 1 diabetes for nearly...

In this episode, Melissa is joined by Cecily Lopez—a wellness advocate, visual storyteller, and founder of Trinity Grace Photography—who shares her powerful journey of navigating life with type 1 diabetes and thyroid cancer. Cecily opens up about how these diagnoses deepened her self-awareness and taught her to trust her body's signals. Together, Melissa and Cecily explore what it means to be an a...

Hormone shifts don't always scream — they whisper. If you're living with type 1 diabetes, even subtle changes can throw everything off. In this episode, Melissa dives into why paying attention matters and how to use tools like the Greene Climacteric Scale to get clarity and confidence in midlife. Melissa shares: Why you shouldn't dismiss feeling "off" as just aging A client story of regaining focu...

Menopause is about more than hot flashes—it also affects vaginal and urinary health. In this episode, Melissa Slemp and Kim Hines get candid about their decision to start vaginal estrogen, even without obvious symptoms, and how it can support long-term wellness. They dive into genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) , share the benefits of vaginal estrogen, and highlight proactive steps women ca...

Host Melissa Slemp , a certified hormone health coach and T1D warrior of 43+ years, uncovers what doctors don't always tell us: how perimenopause and post-menopause impact diabetes, weight, mood, and long-term health. Need a place where you feel understood and supported? Come check out our Type 1 in Midlife Community—where we rebuild energy, resilience, and faith together. Join a caring community...

This week's episode is a very personal one. Melissa (age 58, now post-menopause) and Kelly (age 41, navigating perimenopause) open up about their real-life journeys through hormonal shifts, type 1 diabetes, and everything in between. 📖 Book Announcement: This conversation is also a celebration—Melissa's upcoming book is set to launch in early 2026, and Kelly will be a featured contributor alongsi...

Today I open up about a season of my life when fear of complications—after being diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy—drove me into a cycle of perfectionism with my blood sugars. Need a place where you feel understood and supported? Come check out our Type 1 in Midlife coaching circle—where we rebuild energy, resilience, and faith together. Join a caring community of women and get expert support to...

If you've ever found an insulin that just works —one that gives you flexibility through puberty, pregnancy, or perimenopause—imagine having it pulled from the shelves. That's exactly what's happening with Levemir (insulin detemir) in the U.S., and soon, around the world. In this episode, I'm joined by Alison Smart , President of the Alliance to Protect Insulin Choice. Alison's daughter was diagnos...

In this episode, Melissa sits down with Lindsay Cohen, a St. Louis-based Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES), and founder of Mama-Betes. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 9, Lindsay brings both lived experience and deep professional expertise to her work with women — especially moms — navigating the daily realities of diabetes, nutrition, and family l...

In this empowering episode, I'm joined by Dr. Beck Hoehn—a licensed acupuncturist, board-certified herbalist, and fertility specialist based in Los Angeles. With a doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, Dr. Hoehn helps women move through hormonal chaos with the wisdom of Eastern medicine and the precision of personalized care. We explore how acupuncture and herbal medicine can support peri...

In this heartfelt solo episode, Melissa opens up about a topic many women hesitate to admit: struggling with focus and mental clarity during midlife. As a woman living with type 1 diabetes and navigating menopause, she shares her personal experience with brain fog, memory slips, and the frustration of not feeling "like herself." Need a place where you feel understood and supported? Come check out...

Ever had one of those days where diabetes just doesn't make sense—no matter how "perfect" your routine was? In this episode, I'm joined again by Kaycee Parker, author of Devotions on Diabetes , to unpack the heart behind Day 3 of her devotional: "Nothing Makes Sense." Together, we dive into those frustrating moments when familiar routines stop working, insulin sensitivity vanishes, and you're left...

In this inspiring episode, Melissa sits down with Elizabeth Forrest, founder and president of Touched by Type 1 —a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness, funding research, and building life-changing programs for people with type 1 diabetes. Diagnosed at age 10, Elizabeth turned her personal journey into a community-wide movement, beginning with a simple dance show in her driveway. Now, Dancing...

In this episode of Type 1 in Midlife , Melissa dives into the highs and lows—literally—of life with a CGM. With 43 years of Type 1 wisdom and nearly a decade of CGM wear, she shares her honest thoughts on the latest devices, what's improved, what's still frustrating, and how to keep your sanity when your sensor decides to ghost you. What you'll hear: Dexcom G7 vs. G6: what's changed and why Meliss...