Ep 150 - Meet the Contributors to Highs, Lows & Hormones — A Survival Guide for Women with Diabetes from Monthly Cycles to Menopause

Mar 23, 2026

Today’s episode is a special one — I’m officially announcing my upcoming book:

Highs, Lows & Hormones: A Survival Guide for Women with Diabetes — From Monthly Cycles to Menopause.

This book was born from years of lived experience, coaching women through midlife, and realizing there simply wasn’t one comprehensive resource that connects the dots between:

• Monthly cycles and insulin sensitivity
• Perimenopause chaos and blood sugar swings
• Sleep, weight gain, gut health, and inflammation
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and safety
• What labs to run and what questions to ask your doctor

And I’m not doing this alone.

Joining me in this project are two incredible contributors:

Dr. Vanessa Soviero

Board-certified OB/GYN, Menopause Certified Practitioner, Director of the Center for Menopause & Midlife Health at Northwell Health, and a woman living with type 1 diabetes herself. 

• Site Medical Director OB/GYN of Islandia
• Katz Institute of Women’s Health
• MSCP (Menopause Society Certified Practitioner)
• Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra
• Clinical Associate Professor

Dr. Soviero brings medical depth to perimenopause, menopause, hormone therapy, cardiovascular risk, and long-term health considerations for women with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Kelly Schmidt

Registered Dietitian, founder of T1D Functional Nutrition, strength coach, and woman living with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years.

Kelly dives into:

• Insulin sensitivity strategies
• Gut health & hormone balance
• Thyroid optimization
• Inflammation markers
• Supplements like magnesium, creatine, vitamin D, and more

 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why perimenopause feels like “reverse puberty” for blood sugar
• Why does checking hormones once tell the full story
• How declining estrogen impacts insulin resistance
• The truth about HRT safety for women with type 1 diabetes
• Why tracking symptoms empowers better conversations
• Why menopause is not the end, it’s a recalibration

We also share our own personal hormone journeys — what surprised us, what we wish we knew earlier, and what we’re doing now.

 

Who This Book Is For

• Women newly diagnosed in midlife
• Women who have lived with type 1 diabetes for decades
• Women with LADA or insulin-dependent diabetes
• Any woman navigating monthly cycles, perimenopause, or menopause

This book is your roadmap. Not just information — strategy.

 

Join the Advanced Reader Team

The book is expected to be released soon, and we will have an Advanced Reader Team.

If you want early access, sneak peeks, and the opportunity to leave a review — stay tuned and check the links in the show notes.

Click here to join the advanced reader team: https://abundant-health-with-melissa.kit.com/advancedreaderteam

 

Connect with Kelly Schmidt

Website

IG @diabeticdietitian

 

Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast reach more people. Be sure to share this episode.

Watch on YouTube 

 

What to do now:

*Join the book pre-launch list for early access, bonuses, and 2026 launch updates. Grab my free guide, HRT and Type 1 Diabetes  Everything I wish I knew in perimenopause.

*Follow me IG @Type1.in.midlife stay in the loop on upcoming episodes. DM me with any feedback or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover.

*Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It’s free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.  

 

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should be a substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.