Blood Sugar - Part 2
What is Insulin Resistance?
WHAT IS INSULIN RESISTANCE?
Insulin resistance is like your body’s version of putting up a “Please Go Away” sign. Your cells get fed up with too much glucose knocking at their door, so they stop answering—and when that happens, everything starts to go haywire.
Sound dramatic? It kind of is. Insulin resistance can make you feel exhausted, hungry, and stuck in an endless cycle of weight gain, cravings, and inflammation. But the good news is that once you understand what’s going on, you can absolutely turn it around.
This part of the masterclass is your backstage pass to insulin: what it does, why your body needs it, and what happens when things go off the rails.
WHAT IS INSULIN & WHY DO WE NEED IT?
Insulin is your body’s glucose manager, sugar chauffeur, and damage-control expert all rolled into one. When you eat, your blood sugar rises, and insulin steps in to guide that sugar into your cells, where it’s either burned for energy or saved for later. Without insulin, glucose would wreak havoc, damaging cells like tiny shards of glass (yes, it’s that serious).
Here’s the deal:
Insulin keeps your cells happy and fueled. It acts like a key, unlocking your cells so glucose can come inside and do its job.
It protects your brain and eyes. These organs don’t rely on insulin, so they’re the first to suffer when blood sugar levels get too high.
It helps prevent glucose overload. Any excess glucose gets stored as fat (not ideal, but it’s better than letting sugar run wild in your bloodstream).
Insulin is a life-saver—literally—but too much of it can cause problems. High levels of insulin can trigger weight gain, inflammation, and eventually, insulin resistance.
HOW INSULIN RESISTANCE BEGINS
Your cells are happily taking in glucose when, suddenly, there’s a flood of sugar. Maybe it’s from a sugary diet, chronic stress, or not-so-great sleep. Insulin rushes to the rescue, trying to move all that sugar out of your bloodstream. But over time, your cells start tuning it out, like ignoring that one neighbor who keeps knocking to borrow sugar (pun intended).
Here’s what happens next:
Your cells stop responding to insulin, so glucose stays in your bloodstream.
Your body panics and pumps out even more insulin to compensate.
The extra insulin starts storing glucose as fat (hello, stubborn belly weight) and triggers inflammation.
Your cells stay hungry (because they can’t absorb glucose), which makes you hungrier.
Before long, your blood sugar and insulin levels are both high, your body’s systems are under stress, and you’re stuck in a vicious cycle. Left unchecked, this can lead to weight gain, fatigue, inflammation, and eventually Type II Diabetes.
SYMPTOMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE
Not sure if insulin resistance is an issue for you? Here’s what it might look like:
Increased thirst and hunger: You feel ravenous or parched, even if you’ve just eaten.
Fatigue: Your body struggles to turn glucose into energy, leaving you drained.
Difficulty losing weight: Especially around the belly, no matter how hard you try.
Dark patches of skin: Velvety spots on your neck, armpits, or groin.
High blood pressure: Insulin resistance can contribute to hypertension.
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about how to confirm what’s going on.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE INSULIN RESISTANT
If you suspect insulin resistance, lab tests can provide clarity:
Fasting Insulin Test: Measures insulin levels after fasting for 8 hours. High levels suggest resistance.
Glucose Tolerance Test: Tracks how your body handles a large dose of glucose over time. If your blood sugar takes forever to normalize, resistance might be at play.
Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1c): Covered in Part 1, this measures your average blood sugar over 3–4 months. Anything above 5.5% could indicate early insulin resistance.
C-Peptide Test: Measures how much insulin your pancreas is producing. Low levels might point to insulin resistance.
No access to these tests? No worries. If you’re noticing multiple symptoms, you can still take steps to improve insulin sensitivity (stay tuned for Part 3!).
INSULIN RESISTANCE AND NAFLD
Here’s the dirty little secret about insulin resistance: it loves dragging your liver into the mix. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common sidekick to insulin resistance, and together, they create a vicious cycle.
Here’s how it works:
When your body can’t handle glucose, your liver starts converting it into fat.
This fat builds up in your liver, causing inflammation and making insulin resistance worse.
The good news? NAFLD is reversible with a little TLC:
Avoid refined fructose: The liver’s worst enemy. Fruit is fine, it’s high fructose corn syrup that’s best avoided
Add omega-3s and choline-rich foods: Think salmon, flaxseeds, and egg yolks.
Be kind to your liver: Reduce alcohol, minimize processed foods, and support detoxification (check out the Detoxify Your Home masterclass!).
IINTERMITTENT FASTING: FRIEND OR FOE?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is everywhere, and it’s easy to see why: it promises everything from better blood sugar control to weight loss to improved energy. But here’s the truth—it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, especially when it comes to insulin resistance.
Here’s what we know about IF and blood sugar:
For some, it’s a game-changer. Short fasting windows (like 12–14 hours overnight) can give your insulin and blood sugar levels a much-needed break, helping your body recalibrate.
For others, it backfires. Women, in particular, can be more sensitive to fasting. Skipping meals might trigger a stress response, raising cortisol levels and reducing insulin sensitivity over time.
WHY DOES FASTING WORK FOR SOME BUT NOT OTHERS?
The effects of intermittent fasting depend on several factors:
Your stress levels: If you’re already running on stress hormones (thanks, cortisol), fasting can make things worse by adding more strain on your body.
Your hormones: Women’s bodies are finely tuned to hormonal fluctuations, and fasting can sometimes disrupt that delicate balance.
Your starting point: If your fasting glucose levels are already high, fasting may not be the right tool to bring them down—at least not yet.
HOW TO KNOW IF IT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
The best way to find out if fasting works for you is to experiment and listen to your body. Here’s a simple roadmap to get started:
Check your fasting glucose: If it’s in a healthy range (covered in Part 1), a short fasting window could be worth a try.
Start small: Try a 12-hour overnight fast—like finishing dinner by 7 p.m. and eating breakfast at 7 a.m. the next day.
Tune into how you feel: If fasting feels easy, improves your energy, and reduces cravings, keep going! If you feel hangry, tired, or overly hungry, it’s a sign to pause and focus on regular meals instead.
ALTERNATIVES TO FASTING
Not a fan of fasting? No problem. You can still support your blood sugar without skipping meals. Here are some alternatives:
Eat protein and fat with every meal: These macronutrients slow down glucose absorption and keep your blood sugar steady.
Focus on meal timing: Eating consistently every 4–5 hours can prevent spikes and crashes.
Try a protein-rich breakfast: A balanced breakfast (think eggs, avocado, and greens) can set the tone for stable blood sugar all day long.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool—but only if your body loves it. If it feels like a struggle, don’t force it. There are plenty of other ways to balance your blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity (and we’ll dive into those in Part 3!).
Now that we’ve untangled insulin resistance and fasting, let’s move on to practical strategies to take back control of your blood sugar and feel like yourself again.
Let’s do this!
Got any questions or comments? Comment below, jump to our private Facebook Group, or the Ask Lisa page :). Head over to Part 3.