Why My A1c Is 5.2 Despite a Strong Family History of Diabetes
My hemoglobin A1c is 5.2.
My fasting glucose is below 90.
My fasting insulin is 5.
That’s despite a family history loaded with diabetes.
In fact, on my father’s side, diabetes wasn’t the exception—it was practically the family tradition.
My grandmother Anna, the woman I was named after, struggled with it. So did several uncles and cousins. I watched firsthand what unstable blood sugar could do to a person’s health, energy, and quality of life.
Which is why people are often surprised when they learn that my weight today is essentially the same as it was in high school.
Every year around my birthday, someone inevitably asks me:
“Ann Louise, what’s your secret?”
The truth is, there isn’t just one.
I’ve simply spent decades studying blood sugar, metabolism, insulin, weight gain, and the hidden factors that quietly push people toward diabetes. Along the way, I’ve learned something important:
Genes are not destiny.
Yes, genetics matter.
But when it comes to healthy blood sugar, insulin resistance, and maintaining a healthy weight as we age, the choices we make every day matter even more.
Today, as I celebrate another year around the sun, I’m especially grateful that the lifestyle habits I’ve practiced for decades continue to pay off.
Here’s exactly what I do to support healthy blood sugar, maintain a stable weight, and avoid the metabolic roller coaster that traps so many people.
Why Blood Sugar Control Matters More Than Ever After 50
One of the biggest health lessons I’ve learned over the years is that blood sugar affects far more than your risk of diabetes.
It influences your energy, appetite, metabolism, mood, memory, and even your ability to maintain a healthy weight.
The challenge is that as we get older, our bodies often become less efficient at handling sugar and carbohydrates. Muscle mass naturally declines with age, activity levels may decrease, and years of dietary habits can begin to catch up with us.
The result?
Many people start experiencing signs of insulin resistance without even realizing it.
They notice stubborn weight gain around the middle. They struggle with cravings for sweets and carbohydrates. They feel tired after meals or find themselves constantly reaching for snacks, coffee, or sugary treats to keep their energy up.
What they’re often experiencing is the blood sugar roller coaster.
Blood sugar rises rapidly after eating refined carbohydrates such as bagels, sugary cereals, pastries, white bread, or other processed foods. In response, the body releases insulin to bring those levels back down.
The higher blood sugar climbs, the harder insulin has to work.
Over time, cells may become less responsive to insulin’s signals—a condition known as insulin resistance. When that happens, the body often produces even more insulin to compensate.
This cycle can contribute to increased hunger, stubborn weight gain, cravings, fatigue, and eventually the development of Type 2 diabetes.
That’s why I’ve spent so much of my career teaching people to focus on stable blood sugar rather than simply counting calories.
When blood sugar is balanced, cravings tend to calm down. Energy becomes more consistent. Weight management gets easier. And perhaps most importantly, you help support long-term metabolic health.
For me, maintaining healthy blood sugar has never been about deprivation.
It’s about making choices that help my body work the way it was designed to work.
How I Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Naturally
People often ask me if there’s one secret to maintaining healthy blood sugar.
The truth is, there isn’t.
I’ve simply spent decades practicing a handful of habits consistently.
- Prioritize Protein. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is starting the day with refined carbohydrates. Bagels, pastries, sugary cereals, and sweetened coffee drinks can send blood sugar soaring before breakfast is even over. I prefer to start my day with quality protein because it helps support satiety, stable energy, and healthy blood sugar levels.
- Don’t Fear Healthy Fats. Healthy fats help slow the absorption of carbohydrates and keep you feeling satisfied longer. That’s one reason the Fat Flush lifestyle has always emphasized foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and other healthy fats.
- Fill Your Plate With Vegetables. Fiber-rich vegetables help support healthy digestion and can help moderate blood sugar fluctuations after meals. The more colorful vegetables on your plate, the better.
- Stay Active. Movement is one of the most powerful tools for supporting healthy glucose metabolism. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym. A daily walk, strength training, gardening, dancing, or simply staying physically active can make a meaningful difference.
- Pay Attention to Blood Sugar. Perhaps most importantly, I don’t ignore the signals my body gives me. When energy drops, cravings increase, or weight begins creeping upward, I pay attention.
Those clues often reveal what’s happening beneath the surface long before a diagnosis appears. And while food and lifestyle form the foundation, there are also a few targeted supplements I rely on every day to support healthy metabolism and blood sugar balance.
The Best Supplements for Healthy Blood Sugar and Metabolism
In addition to following the Fat Flush lifestyle, there are three supplements that have earned a permanent place in my daily routine: Weight Loss Formula, Radical Metabolizer, and GLA-90.
Why these three? Because they address some of the biggest challenges people face as they get older: blood sugar instability, stubborn weight gain, cravings, and a metabolism that doesn’t seem to work like it used to.
Weight Loss Formula: My Blood Sugar Safety Net
If you’ve read my work for any length of time, you know I’ve been talking about blood sugar for decades.
One of the reasons I like Weight Loss Formula so much is that it combines several of my favorite metabolic nutrients in one place. Chromium helps support healthy glucose metabolism and works alongside insulin to move sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells where it belongs. Oregon grape root provides naturally occurring berberine compounds that have been widely studied for their effects on blood sugar and metabolic health. And L-carnitine helps transport fatty acids into the mitochondria—the tiny energy factories inside your cells—where they can be burned for fuel.
In short, it helps support the very metabolic pathways that become less efficient with age.
Radical Metabolizer: When Cravings Start Calling
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that cravings are rarely about willpower.
More often, they’re a sign that something deeper is happening with blood sugar, appetite signals, or metabolism.
That’s where Radical Metabolizer comes in.
This formula features African mango seed extract, green tea extract rich in EGCG, L-carnitine, raspberry ketones, and forskolin—all ingredients chosen to support healthy metabolism and appetite regulation. I especially like the way it helps support metabolic activity without relying on harsh stimulants that can leave you feeling wired and exhausted.
For me, maintaining a healthy weight has never been about deprivation. It’s about helping the body work the way it was designed to work.
GLA-90: The Most Overlooked Fat-Burning Nutrient
I’ve been writing about GLA since the 1980s, and I’m still amazed by how few people know about it.
GLA, or gamma-linolenic acid, is a unique fatty acid derived from black currant seed oil. Unlike the inflammatory omega-6 fats found in processed foods, GLA plays an entirely different role in the body.
Research suggests it may help support metabolically active brown fat—the kind of fat that burns calories rather than storing them. Yet many people have trouble producing adequate amounts of GLA as they age. Excess sugar intake, alcohol, stress, and metabolic dysfunction can all interfere with the body’s ability to make it efficiently.
That’s one reason GLA-90 has remained a staple in my own routine for so many years.
Some supplements come and go.
This one has stood the test of time.
What Healthy Blood Sugar Has Done for Me
My weight is still essentially the same as it was in high school.
My energy is strong.
My metabolism remains resilient.
And perhaps most importantly, I continue to enjoy the freedom that comes with good health.
But here’s what I’ve learned after decades of studying nutrition:
Genes are not destiny.
Every day, we have an opportunity to influence the direction our health takes.
For me, that has meant paying attention to blood sugar, staying active, prioritizing sleep, managing stress, and giving my body the nutritional support it needs to function at its best.
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from my story, it’s this:
A family history of diabetes does not have to become your future.
It’s never too late to support healthy blood sugar, improve your metabolism, and change the trajectory of your health.
That’s the birthday gift I’m most grateful for.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blood Sugar and Metabolism
What is a healthy A1c level?
Hemoglobin A1c measures your average blood sugar over the previous two to three months. In general, an A1c below 5.7% is considered normal. An A1c between 5.7% and 6.4% is considered prediabetes, while 6.5% or higher may indicate diabetes. Always discuss your results with your healthcare provider.
What is a healthy fasting glucose level?
A healthy fasting glucose level is generally considered to be below 100 mg/dL. Levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL may indicate prediabetes, while levels of 126 mg/dL or higher may suggest diabetes. Maintaining stable blood sugar through healthy diet and lifestyle habits is one of the best ways to support healthy glucose levels.
Can you prevent diabetes if it runs in your family?
While genetics can increase your risk, they do not determine your destiny. Research consistently shows that healthy eating, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, prioritizing sleep, managing stress, and supporting healthy blood sugar can significantly influence your metabolic health. Family history may load the gun, but lifestyle often pulls the trigger.
Why does blood sugar affect weight gain?
When blood sugar rises rapidly, the body releases insulin to help move glucose into the cells. Over time, repeated blood sugar spikes can contribute to insulin resistance, increased hunger, cravings, and fat storage—especially around the midsection. Supporting healthy blood sugar levels may make it easier to manage appetite, energy, and weight.