Understanding Insulin Resistance To Help Reclaim Your Metabolic Health
Insulin resistance is a growing health concern that lies at the root of many chronic diseases. In simple terms, it happens when our cells stop responding well to insulin, a hormone that helps move glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into our cells for energy. As resistance builds, our pancreas pumps out more and more insulin to try to keep blood sugar levels balanced. Over time, this can lead to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and a wide range of serious complications affecting the kidneys, eyes, and even the brain.
Why High Blood Sugar Is So Dangerous
When blood sugar remains elevated for long periods, it can cause a lot of damage. Tiny blood vessels in the kidneys and eyes are especially vulnerable. This can lead to diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage) and retinopathy (vision loss). But what many people don’t realise is how blood sugar affects the brain.
In fact, researchers are now calling Alzheimer’s disease "type 3 diabetes" because of its close connection to insulin resistance in the brain. Insulin is crucial for brain cell communication and function, and when that system breaks down, it can accelerate cognitive decline.
The Gut-Brain Axis And Candida Overgrowth
Your gut and brain are deeply connected through what’s called the gut-brain axis. Poor gut health can influence mood, memory, and inflammation in the brain. High blood sugar also feeds Candida, a type of yeast that lives in the digestive tract. When Candida overgrows, it can lead to bloating, brain fog, cravings, and even immune dysregulation. Balancing blood sugar is key to keeping gut flora in harmony.
The Role of Stress and Cortisol
Chronic stress is often an overlooked factor in blood sugar regulation. When you're stressed, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that increases blood sugar levels to prepare you for "fight or flight." Over time, elevated cortisol can worsen insulin resistance, especially when stress is ongoing.
Practices like deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness are simple but powerful ways to lower cortisol, calm the nervous system, and support better blood sugar control.
The Hidden Dangers Of Modern Diets
One of the biggest drivers of insulin resistance today is our modern diet, especially ultra-processed foods, which are often loaded with high fructose corn syrup and refined seed oils (like canola, soybean, and corn oil). These foods spike blood sugar, cause inflammation, and burden the liver, your metabolic powerhouse.
Unlike the body, which evolved to thrive on real, whole foods from nature, it struggles to process these artificial ingredients. Over time, this creates a perfect storm for insulin resistance, obesity, and chronic disease.
Healing With Whole Foods From Mother Nature
The good news? Insulin resistance is reversible, especially when you feed your body what it truly needs. Diets like the Mediterranean diet and the Paleo diet focus on whole, unprocessed foods, healthy fats, quality proteins, and plenty of colourful vegetables. These ways of eating align closely with how our ancestors ate, and how our bodies are wired to function best.
Some great foods to include are;
Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts)
Grass-fed animal protein like lamb and beef
Wild caught fish
Fermented foods (like sauerkraut and kimchi)
Low glycemic fruits (berries especially)
Bitter foods like arugula, dandelion greens, and ginger
Herbs & Spices Can Be Everyday Super Healers
Nature provides us with an incredible pharmacy in the form of everyday herbs and spices. These flavourful additions to your meals do much more than enhance taste, they actively support metabolic health, reduce inflammation, and help balance blood sugar.
Here are some powerful kitchen allies
Turmeric (Curcumin) – One of the most researched natural anti-inflammatories, turmeric helps reduce systemic inflammation, supports liver detox, and may improve insulin sensitivity. Curcumin, its active compound, also protects against oxidative stress, which plays a role in metabolic dysfunction.
Cinnamon – Especially Ceylon cinnamon, helps lower fasting blood sugar, improves insulin sensitivity, and may slow the emptying of the stomach, reducing post meal blood sugar spikes.
Ginger – Supports digestion, reduces inflammation, and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism. It's also warming and can improve circulation.
Garlic – Acts as a natural blood thinner, supports heart health, lowers blood pressure, and improves lipid profiles. Garlic also has antimicrobial properties that benefit the gut microbiome.
Fennel – A gentle digestive herb that helps reduce bloating, cramping, and supports overall gut health. Fennel seeds may also help regulate appetite and blood sugar levels, making them a great addition to meals or teas.
These herbs and spices can be incorporated into your diet easily, added to teas, sprinkled over roasted veggies, blended into smoothies, or cooked into stews and soups.
Using them regularly is a simple, affordable way to naturally enhance metabolic function, support digestion, reduce inflammation, and balance hormones, all of which are crucial in reversing insulin resistance.
Supplements That Support Insulin Sensitivity
In functional medicine, we view supplements not just as add ons, but as powerful tools that can help correct imbalances, support pathways, and restore function. High quality, therapeutic grade nutraceuticals do more than fill nutrient gaps, they can actually talk to your genes, influencing how they express themselves. This field is known as nutrigenomics, and it’s showing us how certain compounds can literally turn health promoting genes on, and turn inflammation driving genes off.
Here’s a deeper look at key supplements that support insulin sensitivity and metabolic health
Berberine – This plant compound acts much like the drug metformin. It helps reduce blood sugar, supports insulin sensitivity, and improves gut health. Berberine also activates AMPK, a key metabolic switch that supports fat burning, energy production, and blood sugar control.
Inositol – Especially beneficial for women with PCOS, inositol helps regulate insulin and reproductive hormones. It supports mood and nervous system health as well.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) – A potent antioxidant that helps regenerate other antioxidants like vitamin C and glutathione. ALA improves insulin sensitivity, supports mitochondrial function, and helps reduce oxidative stress that drives insulin resistance.
Magnesium – Involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions, including those related to blood sugar regulation, insulin signaling, and energy production. Many people with insulin resistance are deficient in magnesium.
B-Vitamins (especially B1, B6, B9, and B12) – Support cellular energy production, methylation, detoxification, and nervous system function. B vitamins help convert glucose into usable energy and are often depleted in people with metabolic dysfunction.
Vitamin D – This is technically a hormone, not just a vitamin. It helps regulate immune function, inflammation, and insulin receptor sensitivity. Low vitamin D levels are strongly linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA) – Found in fatty fish and algae, omega 3s are anti-inflammatory, support brain health, improve cell membrane fluidity, and may enhance insulin signalling.
Curcumin – The active compound in turmeric, curcumin helps lower inflammation, protect against oxidative stress, and support liver detoxification, all of which are crucial for metabolic healing.
Chromium – This trace mineral enhances the action of insulin and helps regulate carbohydrate metabolism.
When sourced from reputable, high quality brands, these nutraceuticals integrate into your biochemistry and help improve cell membrane health, energy metabolism, and hormone signalling.
Don’t Forget Your Liver
The liver is one of the most important organs when it comes to blood sugar balance, detoxification, fat metabolism, and hormone regulation. When the liver becomes sluggish, due to poor diet, stress, toxin exposure, or lack of nutrients, it can worsen insulin resistance and make weight loss harder.
Supporting liver health is key for restoring metabolic function. One simple and powerful ritual is drinking warm water with fresh lemon first thing in the morning. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and citrus bioflavonoids, which help neutralise free radicals and support phase 1 liver detox. The acidity of lemon also stimulates bile flow, which aids in the digestion of fats and removal of toxins through the digestive tract.
Here are additional ways to support liver health naturally
Bitter foods – such as arugula, dandelion greens, radicchio, and rocket, help stimulate digestive enzymes and bile production
Choline – found in eggs, liver, and sunflower lecithin, supports fat metabolism and prevents fat accumulation in the liver
Milk thistle – contains silymarin, a powerful antioxidant that protects and regenerates liver cells
Sulforaphane – found in broccoli sprouts, supports detox pathways and boosts glutathione levels, the body’s master antioxidant
Selenium – found in Brazil nuts, plays a role in antioxidant defence and thyroid health
Amino acids – from clean, high quality protein sources are essential for liver detoxification, especially in phase 2
Curcumin (from turmeric) – supports anti-inflammatory pathways and liver enzyme activity
Incorporating a simple morning lemon water habit, along with nutrient dense foods and herbs, can go a long way in supporting your liver and improving your overall metabolic health.
Move Your Body, Use That Glucose!
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for reversing insulin resistance. Your muscles can absorb glucose without needing insulin, which helps lower your blood sugar naturally. Activities like walking, strength training, yoga, or dancing can all make a difference. Just moving daily matters.
Additional Lifestyle Habits To Support Your Metabolism
Food and supplements are only part of the story. Your daily habits also play a huge role in metabolic health.
Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night
Hydration: Water supports detox and energy metabolism
Sauna: Promotes detoxification and cardiovascular health
Stress management: Use breathing exercises, meditation, or time in nature to lower cortisol
Sunshine: Supports Vitamin D levels and overall mood
In Summary
Insulin resistance doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t reverse overnight either. But by choosing whole foods, moving your body, managing stress, and supporting your gut, liver, and brain, you can reclaim your health one step at a time. Functional medicine reminds us that the body has an incredible capacity to heal, when we remove the obstacles and nourish it with what it truly needs.