Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream into your cells for energy. But when your body stops responding appropriately to insulin, your pancreas pumps out more and more to keep blood sugar in check. Over time, your pancreas gets worn down, leading to insulin resistance, where your cells ignore insulin’s signals, paving the way for high blood sugar, weight gain, and ultimately, serious health risks.

Why Is Insulin Resistance a Major Epidemic?

The modern diet contains unhealthy amounts of sugar. We are eating more sugar than we ever have in the history of mankind. In NZ alone, over 300,000 people struggle with Type 2 diabetes, but that's just the folks who have had the diagnosis!
The true number will be a lot more than this. It's an issue as it is at the root of many chronic diseases, and it is killing us and our younger generation prematurely. It can lead to many chronic health conditions, such as:
**Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes** – The next stage if insulin resistance isn’t reversed.
**Heart disease** – Increases inflammation and raises the risk of heart attacks.
**Alzheimer’s and dementia** – Often called “Type 3 diabetes” due to its link with blood sugar issues.
**Kidney disease** – High blood sugar damages kidney function over time.
**PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)** – A common issue in women tied with links to insulin imbalances

Signs and Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

It's an insidious disease, that lurks in the background and many people don't notice the signs and symptoms, or maybe they don't know to look for them, such as:

Unexplained weight gain, especially around the belly.
Sugar cravings and energy crashes after meals.
Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and depression.
Skin tags or darkened skin around the neck and armpits.
High blood pressure and/or cholesterol.
Trouble losing weight no matter what you try.
Obesity.
Poor wound healing due to impaired circulation caused by high blood glucose levels.

Why Take Action Now?

Insulin resistance doesn’t happen overnight, but once it progresses to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, it becomes much harder to reverse. The good news is that taking control now will help prevent long-term damage. In fact, insulin resistance can be happening for up to 10 years before a diagnosis of Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes.

How to Reverse Insulin Resistance and Balance Blood Sugar

Reduce sugar and processed foods to keep blood glucose levels stable.
Prioritise protein and healthy fats to reduce cravings and keep you full longer.
Eat more fibre-rich veggies and low-sugar fruit such as berries to slow glucose absorption and improve gut health.
Move your body daily with walking, strength training, or short bursts of exercise to improve insulin sensitivity.
Prioritise sleep and manage stress, as poor sleep and chronic stress spike cortisol and worsen insulin resistance.

Could You or Someone you know have Insulin Resistance?

If you’re experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your blood sugar, I offer functional testing to identify insulin resistance early. With the right support, you can stop the progression and reclaim your health.

You see, many of my clients come to me with HbA1c results, which gives me an indication of how much glucose has been circulating in the blood over the last 3 months, but very rarely do GPs test fasted insulin levels.

HbA1c can be fine, even with insulin resistance, especially in the early stages. This is because the pancreas is doing an excellent job of trying to keep you alive and healthy by producing MORE insulin to compensate.

If you ticked YES to any of the signs and symptoms above, I'd love to help. The earlier you deal with this chronic illness, the better. And the great news is - it is totally reversible.

📩 Click here to book a consultation or reply to this email—I’m here to help!