This has been an incredible year for the RBMD community.

When I relaunched this newsletter in the spring—with a clearer structure, a sharper focus, and a renewed sense of purpose—it was because I felt a shift.

I started asking a different set of questions:

What research is truly actionable? What metrics matter most for longevity? And how can I use my voice as a doctor—and as a woman in midlife—to help others navigate this with clarity and confidence?

This has been my guiding light. And the way this community has grown by the thousands tells me it’s resonating. Hearing how you’ve applied these protocols in your own routines, shared them in your group chats, and used them to advocate for your health has been one of the most meaningful parts of my year.

I’ve always lived the medicine I practice but in 2025, that took on new depth. I was diagnosed with osteopenia on my full-body DEXA. I started topical estrogen. I tracked my biomarkers more rigorously through Parsley’s Longevity Labs. I committed to consistent strength training and upgraded my supplement stack.

This newsletter has been the place where I get to dive in with you—where I get to be both doctor and patient, teacher and peer. After a decade wearing the CEO hat at Parsley, this is the version of my work that feels especially alive.

Thank you for being here. I’m so excited for what’s coming in this space in 2026!

⚡️ Forward this protocol

The foolproof way to be healthier in 2026: Choose an anchor metric. 

If you’ve dropped resolutions by February (no shame, most of us have), this is your reframe: Choose a single biomarker or biometric to build your habits around.

• Want more energy? → Choose sleep consistency.

• Want better metabolism? → Choose fasting insulin.

• Want to improve your healthspan? → Choose biological age.

• Want to improve your lifespan? → Choose VO2 max. 

• Want less belly fat? → Choose cortisol.

Set your baseline in January. Re-test in June. Build your habits around moving that number in the right direction.

🤓 What we learned: Longevity isn’t about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things.

After a year of digging through research, labs, news and real-world patient data, these are the longevity truths that rose above the noise for me.

Estrogen is a longevity hormone. 

When it drops, women lose 10–20% of their bone mass, metabolic health declines, and Alzheimer’s risk doubles, making estrogen one of the most protective molecules in the female body.

As women we should be having an informed conversion with our provider about HRT as early as possible. I believe proactive HRT is the future. 

My HRT protocol here. 

Body composition matters way more than weight. 

Throw away your scale and get a DEXA. The most important predictor of metabolic health isn’t weight, it’s lean muscle mass. Women lose 3-5% of their total muscle mass per decade starting in their 30s. Those who are able to maintain > 70% lean muscle mass live longer. 

Build lean muscle mass here. 

Low testosterone = low vitality. 

Suboptimal T in women often shows up as low libido, poor muscle retention, and sluggish metabolism. Correcting it can meaningfully improve mood, body composition, and energy.

My case for (thoughtfully!) adding testosterone to your HRT here. 

Metabolic inflexibility is the secret driver of our weight gain and fatigue. 

If your body can’t easily switch between carbs and fat for fuel, everything feels harder. Unfortunately modern life is a set up for metabolic inflexibility. Zone 2 training, protein distribution, and lowering glucose variability are the quickest ways to rebuild metabolic flexibility and increase energy durability.

Retrain your metabolism here. 

Start measuring heart health at 25. Yes, 25!

Heart disease is slow-moving, largely preventable, and in many cases, reversible. Yet it’s still the #1 killer of women—and nearly half of American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease (Circulation, 2019). Lowering ApoB early is one of the most powerful interventions for long-term cardiovascular protection.

Track optimal cardiovascular health here. 

Biological age > chronological age.

You have more than one age. DNA methylation tests are the gold standard for biological aging, but your fitness age (VO₂ max) and lab age (inflammation, glucose, insulin) often reveal the earliest shifts in your health while they’re still easily modifiable.

Measure and lower your biological age here. 

There’s a right—and a wrong—way to use ChatGPT for medical advice. 

Overall ChatGPT is 72% accurate at dispensing medical advice. But AI is only as good as your prompt—if you're not a doctor, you might not know what you're leaving out.

Use AI to make you a smarter patient and optimize your care here. 

Most “health” bars are gut-disrupting sugar bombs. 

55% of calories now come from ultra-processed foods—and a lot of the protein bars on the market are no better than candy. Look for <10g sugar, 4g+ fiber, and clean protein, or skip the aisle altogether.

Actually healthy go-to bars here. 

Fasting IS for women—if done right. 

Fasting triggers autophagy—the body’s cellular cleanup system—but women need a specific strategy. The sweet spot: a 16-hour fast and 30g protein to break it, which supports longevity without compromising hormones.

My fasting protocol for women here. 

Women live longer but spend 12 years in poor health. 

Estrogen loss, muscle loss, metabolic decline, and toxins create a perfect storm. But health is a practice and the choices you make now matter—body composition, protein timing, stress resilience are the fastest ways to reverse aging velocity.

My favorite protocols for women’s longevity here. 

💪 What to do: The 5 health practices I’m leaning into in 2026.   

If there’s one thing I’ve doubled down on this year, one mantra that’s inspiring my own health journey more than anything else, it’s that health is a practice. 

Here are five practices I’m taking with me into the new year:

🚶1. Japanese walking to hit my Zone 2 targets. 

I wrote about Japanese Walking—aka HIIT walking—back in July and it’s totally changed my feelings about cardio. 

Brisk power walking intervals are better at building muscle than walking at a steady pace, so this is one workout that is helping me meet my Zone 2 and lean muscle mass goals. 

Try it: 3 min fast, 3 min slow for 30-60 min, lowers BP and builds muscle vs. walking at a steady pace. 

🌀 2. Breathwork is a powerful way to achieve calm and clarity. 

I’ve written a lot about how devoted I am to my meditation practice. (Every day, even if there’s a kid climbing on top of me, no excuses.) 

This year I got deeper into breathwork techniques like cyclic sighing, which outperforms meditation and box breathing for immediate stress reduction (Cell Reports Medicine, 2023). 

Try it for 1 minute:

1. Inhale through your nose

2. Take a second, shorter inhale

3. Long, slow exhale through your mouth

4. Repeat 5–10 times

🏋️ 3. 3x per week strength training to turn 2% of my fat to muscle. 

I started paying much closer attention to my lean muscle mass this year. Women over 65 with low muscle mass are 63 times more likely to die early than their stronger counterparts (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2019)—time to get my butt in gear!

I started working with a trainer 3x per week (Lots of reverse lunges, goblet squats, and single arm rows!) with the goal of increasing my muscle mass by 2%. 

Will report back on my progress early next year!

💊 4. Supplementing with urolithin A and sulforaphane.

I care a lot about making sure people are getting the right supplements—vetted, evidenced-backed, bioavailable. 

If you haven’t gotten my full women’s longevity supplement stack yet, refer two friends to RBMD right now and I’ll deliver it to your inbox!

The two new supplements I added to my personal stack this year: 

• Urolithin A for mitochondrial support

• Sulforophane to support detox pathways.

🍫 5. An actually healthy protein bar. 

Of all the topics I get asked about as a functional medicine physician and longevity expert, one of the most frequent this year was protein bars. 

It inspired me to do a deep dive and find options that 1) aren’t loaded with crap 2) will help me meet my new protein goals and 3) actually taste good. 

• My top pick if you can tolerate dairy: Jacob Beef Tallow Protein Bar. 

• Dairy-free? Immortal Vegan Protein Bar. 

💛 The Momgevity Files

The new year is a time of deep reflection for me. I’m not into big parties—quite the opposite. For the past three years, my husband, three friends (one couple and one single friend), and I have done a pretty intense two-day New Year’s reflection exercise. We use a template from SY Partners as our pre-work.

Part one is about looking back at our calendars in detail—how we spent our money and our time (and with whom); our peak moments and our lows; what we set out to achieve versus what we actually achieved; our surprises and curveballs. Part two is about looking ahead: what we’re committed to doing and achieving in the coming year—across career, love, money, health, experiences, relationships, and bucket lists.

We go to one of our houses, make lots of delicious food and great coffee, and block off at least five hours each day for the work. We share out loud. We push each other and hold space for each other. There are tears, there are revelations, and there is accountability. It’s a beautiful practice, and each year at the end, I feel positively ready for the year ahead—clear, focused, and aligned. The group checks in a few times a year after that. Our group chat is called “Arrival.”

I don’t set New Year’s resolutions. For me, a one-off goal sets me up for failure. My life isn’t about a “dry January” or a number on the scale (or even the DEXA scan). It’s about stepping up to live the life of my dreams.

This year’s New Year’s work follows a recent solo visioning trip to Santa Fe. The next 10 years won’t be a repeat of the last—they’re going to be even better. I’m excited to see Parsley expand into its next phase of growth and to lean into sharing my voice with the world in a bigger way. This newsletter has been the kickoff for that expansion. It’s a passion project that’s allowed me to dive deep into the science of functional medicine and healthspan in a way that’s both deeply personal and meant to be shared.

I’ve always lived the medicine I practice, but this year took it to a new level—especially around data. I’ve been wearing my Whoop, tracking my labs with Parsley even more religiously, and focusing on body composition. It’s also been about consciously letting go of old limits—on who I get to be and how I show up in my life. I’m learning how to be what others need without abandoning myself—something that’s come into clearer focus now that my youngest is four and we’re officially out of babyland. Each life phase brings its own realizations.

For me, 2026 is all about health as a practice. I’m here to stop the clock (or at least slow it) without stopping my life. Because to me, longevity isn’t just about living longer—it’s about becoming more fully embodied and realized, a little more each day.

Stay strong, stay curious and breathe, 

Robin 

⚡️ One more thing…

Need a last minute gift? Use code PH150 for $150 off our clinical care program.

Bonus: it’s a great way to use your FSA funds before they expire on Dec 31!

As always, this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any health decisions or changes to your treatment plan.