01
The Struggle
Spreadsheets made sense. Her body didn’t. Anya Kuznetsova watched her body change with perimenopause: sleep fractured, cravings sharpened at 9 p.m., and weight gathered at her waist despite careful eating. Afternoon brain fog made simple analysis feel like lifting through mud. Her screening showed A1C 5.9%, Insulin 17 µIU/mL, Triglycerides 190 mg/dL, HDL 42, hs-CRP 3.6 mg/L, Vitamin D 18 ng/mL, Leptin high for her size. She didn’t want another slogan. She wanted a system.
02
The Breaking Point
At a team offsite, she skipped dessert and still felt flushed and sleepy after dinner. Back at the hotel, she searched 'perimenopause weight insulin resistance inflammation' and found Vitals Vault. “Weight & Metabolism, map insulin, inflammation, and fuel use.” She ordered the panel with a numb kind of hope.
03
The Discovery
Vitals Vault confirmed the cluster: Insulin 17, A1C 5.9%, CRP 3.7, Triglycerides 188, ApoB 104, Vitamin D 19, Leptin elevated, sleep efficiency 62%. AI summary: “Insulin resistance with inflammatory pattern; prioritize protein-forward meals, evening light reduction, strength training, and vitamin D repletion to support hormonal transition.”
“So it isn’t age,” she wrote in her journal. “It’s inputs and timing.”
04
The Process
Anya built a new rhythm: breakfast protein bowl; 20-minute post-meal walks; two full-body lifting sessions; phone off at 9 p.m. Blue-light filters clicked on at sunset; bedroom cool and dark. She added vitamin D, omega-3, and magnesium. Her dinners centered on salmon, legumes, and greens; dessert shifted to Greek yogurt with berries.
At Week 8, re-test showed A1C 5.6%, Insulin 10.5, Triglycerides 145, CRP 1.6, Vitamin D 34, sleep efficiency 76%. She felt the change first in her mood, then her jeans.
05
The Breakthrough
By month 3, momentum: A1C 5.5%, Insulin 8.0, ApoB 82, Triglycerides 120, HDL 55, CRP 0.8, Vitamin D 46, Leptin down, waist −2.4 inches. She didn’t chase steps; she chased consistency. The scale barely mattered; the clarity did.
“Perimenopause didn’t break my metabolism,” she said. “It invited me to co-author it.”
06
The Reflection
Anya now builds dashboards for herself: sleep, strength, steps-after-meals. She mentors younger colleagues on biological project management: define the scope, select metrics, iterate gently.
Her story ends where maintenance begins, not a finish line, but a cadence she can live inside.
