Cortisol and belly fat get blamed for everything online, but most of it skips the actual mechanism. I found mine by accident, testing my glucose every morning at 7am, and watching it spike the day after an argument I couldn't let go of.

Every time your blood sugar spikes, your body gets a signal to store fat. If you're in perimenopause, that signal hits harder and lasts longer. Here's what's actually happening after every meal.