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ABOUT THE BOOK
The Missing Piece In Women's Diabetes Health
What if your blood sugars aren’t out of control, but your hormones are changing?
After 40+ years with type 1 diabetes, Melissa Slemp entered perimenopause and found herself asking the same question many women do: “Why isn’t anything working anymore?” This is the book she wishes she had.
For women living with insulin-dependent diabetes, hormonal shifts can disrupt everything, insulin sensitivity, sleep, energy, weight, and mood. Yet this stage of life is rarely explained, often dismissed, and still largely unaddressed in women’s health. This book changes that.
Written by certified nutritional and hormone health coach and long-time type 1 diabetic Melissa Slemp, Highs, Lows & Hormones is a clear, science-informed guide to understanding how hormonal changes, from your monthly cycle through perimenopause and menopause, impact your blood sugar and overall well-being.
As menopause finally begins to receive the attention it deserves, this book speaks directly to the unique and often overlooked experience of women managing insulin-dependent diabetes, where the emotional and physical impact can be dramatically different.
Through real stories of women who were told everything was “normal,” you’ll finally see what was really happening, and the clear answers they found.
Melissa guides readers on how to:
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Understand hormones and blood sugar changes with insulin-dependent diabetes
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Recognize patterns during your cycle, perimenopause, and menopause
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Adjust insulin needs with more confidence during hormonal shifts
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Improve sleep, energy, and daily habits that affect glucose levels
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Build balanced meals to support blood sugar and hormone health
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Use strength training and movement to improve insulin sensitivity
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Track symptoms and blood sugar trends to reduce guesswork
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Advocate for labs, hormone testing, and better medical support
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Explore menopause hormone therapy (MHT) with clarity
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Learn from real women who found answers and regained control
This is more than a survival guide, it’s validation, direction, and a path forward.
If you’ve been told it’s “Just aging” or to simply take more insulin, but you still don’t feel like yourself, this book will help you understand what’s truly happening, advocate for your health, and move through each stage with clear direction.
And through it all, you’ll be reminded that you are not alone. With faith in God as your foundation, you can face these changes with strength, peace, and purpose, trusting your body, your journey, and the path ahead.
PRAISE
What Experts and Women with Diabetes Are Saying
"Melissa did a tremendous job providing information in a caring and supportive way. Understanding hormone cycles and BGs is always eye opening for women and I am glad to now have this as a resource to women who have been struggling for a long time to understand their diabetes and their cycles."
Dana B. Roseman, MPH, CDCES, RDN
"As a dietitian who has lived with Type 1 diabetes for decades, I know firsthand how little support exists for women navigating T1D and hormones. Melissa Slemp has written the book I wish had existed years ago — and it is an honor to contribute to it. Compassionate, practical, and long overdue, this is the conversation so many women have been quietly waiting for. Not just a book. A lifeline."
Kelly Schmidt, RD, LDN Registered Dietitian & Contributor, Highs, Lows & Hormones
"I finished your book today - I learned a lot!! So many nuggets I never knew or considereed, I love the format and it will be an easy way to reference areas I need help with when it;s happening."
Patti Hammerle,
T1D/ Postmenopause
"At last! A book that truly acknowledges the constant impact of the female menstrual cycle on type 1 diabetes. Too many of us have been falsely told by doctors that our menstrual cycle doesn't affect our glucose levels. Melissa's commitment to supporting women with diabetes comes full circle in this book — truly validating the legitimate challenges we've been facing since puberty."
Ginger Vieira, Diabetes Nerd podcast host & author of Exercise with Type 1 Diabetes
BONUS RESOURCES
Unlock Your Bonus Resources
Already have the book? Enter your email to access the full companion resources page, meant to walk alongside you as you read the book—not overwhelm you or add more to your plate. Highs, Lows, & Hormones
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Slemp, BA, CIHC
Melissa Slemp has lived with type 1 diabetes for more than four decades. Diagnosed as a teenager, she learned early that diabetes management is never just about numbers—it is about understanding the body behind them. In her twenties, early complications forced her to look deeper at her health.
Years later, perimenopause shifted the ground again. Routines that once worked no longer did. Blood-sugar patterns became unpredictable. And too often, healthcare providers fail to connect the dots between hormones, glucose, and the realities of daily life.
Determined to find answers, Melissa became a certified health coach and immersed herself in the study of hormone health, bridging the often-over looked gap between diabetes care and women’s midlife health. Through out her journey, her faith in Christ has been her steady foundation—shaping how she views suffering, resilience, and the stewardship of her body. Scripture and prayer have anchored her through seasons of uncertainty and strengthened her resolve to seek wisdom, clarity, and hope.
Today, she helps women with type 1 diabetes in her coaching to better navigate hormonal transitions with clarity, confidence, and compassion. She offers practical strategies for managing blood sugar, energy, sleep, mindset, and movement in ways that feel sustainable and empowering. She believes that caring for our bodies is both wise stewardship and a reflection of God’s grace in everyday life. Melissa lives on the coast of Florida with her husband, David—who also lives with type 1 diabetes, grown daughter Sarah, and their dog, Kona. She enjoys strength training, beach walks, and dark chocolate, because living well includes joy and balance.
