How Stress and Missing Nutrients Impact Women's Blood Glucose Control and Metabolic Health

What if the key to balancing your blood sugar, boosting energy, and easing hormonal symptoms wasn’t just about cutting carbs—but about nourishing your nervous system and replenishing overlooked nutrients? In this deeply insightful episode, I sit down with Lara Briden, renowned naturopathic doctor and author of The Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual, to unpack the profound connection between stress, metabolic health, and the autonomic nervous system. Together, we explore why stress management is non-negotiable for women—especially during perimenopause—and how five often-missing metabolic nutrients can be game-changers for insulin sensitivity, sleep, mood, and hormone function. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, foggy, or just not yourself lately, this episode might hold the answers your body’s been asking for. KEY TAKEAWAYS: The Autonomic Nervous System Drives MetabolismLara explains how stress alters blood sugar, hunger, and hormone regulation by disrupting the balance of your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. HRV as a Metabolic Health MarkerHeart Rate Variability (HRV) isn’t just about recovery—it’s a dynamic indicator of nervous system health and metabolic resilience. The “Lara Briden Stack” of Metabolic NutrientsDiscover Lara’s top 5: magnesium, taurine, choline, inositol, and glycine—nutrients often missing in modern diets but essential for metabolic balance. Inositol for Insulin Resistance and SleepThis unsung hero supports blood sugar regulation, neurotransmitter balance, and sleep quality—especially helpful in PCOS and perimenopause. Glycine: Gentle Yet PowerfulGlycine calms the nervous system, supports detox, and helps improve tolerance to other supplements—making it a safe entry point for sensitive individuals. Berberine vs. MetforminBerberine’s gut-health benefits and insulin-sensitizing effects are comparable to metformin—but Lara advises caution due to potential medication interactions. TIMESTAMPS AND KEY TOPICS: 00:00 – Introduction 00:41 – Nervous system’s role in metabolism 02:35 – HRV tracking and daily stress load 03:13 – Ovulation as a metabolic health marker 05:25 – 5 key missing nutrients for women 07:41 – How to dose inositol for results 08:33 – Glycine for calming and detox support 10:39 – How berberine supports gut and glucose 11:33 – The Lara Briden Stack for perimenopause VALUABLE RESOURCES Get a free snapshot of your health and personalised report at www.yourtotalhealthcheck.com Join The High Performance Health Community A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible: Sign up to my Fresh Start Newsletter: Start your week feeling in control with one simple, science-backed step for your hormones, health and longevity—get your free weekly fresh start at angelafoster.me/freshstart ABOUT THE HOST Angela Foster is an award winning Nutritionist, Health & Performance Coach, Speaker and Host of the High Performance Health podcast. A former Corporate lawyer turned industry leader in biohacking and health optimisation for women, Angela has been featured in various media including Huff Post, Runners world, The Health Optimisation Summit, BrainTap, The Women’s Biohacking Conference, Livestrong & Natural Health Magazine. Angela is the creator of BioSyncing®️ a blueprint for ambitious entrepreneurial women to biohack their health so they can 10X how they show up in their business and their family without burning out. The High Performance Health Podcast is a top rated global podcast. Each week, Angela brings you a new insight, biohack or high performance habit to help you unlock optimal health, longevity and higher performance. Hit the follow button to make sure you get notified each time Angela releases a new episode. CONTACT DETAILS Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Affiliate Disclaimer: Note this description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is under no obligation to use these links. Thank you for supporting the show! Disclaimer: The High Performance Health Podcast is for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of professional or coaching advice and no client relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for medical or other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should seek the assistance of their medical doctor or other health care professional for before taking any steps to implement any of the items discussed in this podcast.