Insulin resistance is one of the most common — and most overlooked — metabolic conditions affecting women today.

It’s responsible for stubborn weight gain, anxiety, fatigue, cravings, hormonal imbalance, brain fog, inflammation, and “I’m doing everything right but nothing is changing.”

Most people are told to:

• “Eat less.”
  
• “Exercise more.”
  
• “Cut carbs.”
  
• “Just lose weight.”
  

But none of these address the core issue: Your cells have stopped responding to insulin. This creates a metabolic traffic jam that affects hormones, mood, inflammation, digestion, and energy.

Functional medicine views insulin resistance not as a “sugar problem,” but a systemic inflammation and communication problem — one that can be reversed with the right strategy.

Insulin is the hormone that moves glucose from your bloodstream into your cells. But when the body becomes resistant to insulin:

• glucose stays in the blood
  
• insulin levels rise higher and higher
  
• fat storage increases
  
• inflammation skyrockets
  
• cravings intensify
  
• hormones become imbalanced
  

Your body isn’t being “difficult.” Your cells are overwhelmed, inflamed, and struggling to communicate.

Over time, insulin resistance fuels:

• PCOS
  
• fatigue
  
• weight gain (especially belly fat)
  
• high cholesterol
  
• chronic inflammation
  
• anxiety and irritability
  
• brain fog
  
• metabolic syndrome
  
• thyroid dysfunction
  
• hormonal irregularity
  

Reverse the insulin resistance → and everything downstream begins to rebalance.

Insulin resistance isn’t caused by one bad meal — it’s caused by years of overload.

The goal is to calm inflammation, stabilize glucose, support the liver and gut, and restore your body’s ability to respond to insulin.

You do NOT need extreme dieting, punishing workouts, or starvation windows. You need nourishment, balance, and consistent habits.

Your morning meal determines your entire day’s blood sugar curve.

Aim for:

• 20–30g protein at breakfast
  
• Healthy fats
  
• Low-sugar, whole-food carbs
  

Examples:

• Eggs + avocado + spinach
  
• Collagen smoothie with almond butter + chia
  
• Greek yogurt (if tolerated) + nuts + cinnamon
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Replace cereal, toast, or oats with a protein + fat breakfast — this immediately lowers cravings and stabilizes mood.

Every meal should include:

• Protein
  
• Fat
  
• Fiber

These three stabilise blood sugar naturally.

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Add a handful of leafy greens and drizzle olive oil over your lunch — instant blood sugar support.

Chronic inflammation is the backbone of insulin resistance.

Avoid or minimize:

• gluten
  
• refined sugar
  
• alcohol
  
• processed vegetable oils
  
• ultra-processed foods
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Swap one refined carb (bread, pasta, biscuits) for roasted vegetables or sweet potato.

A healthy microbiome improves insulin sensitivity and reduces cravings.

Support with:

• 1–2 servings of fiber-rich foods per meal
  
• Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir)
  
• Chia or flaxseed daily
  
• Hydration (2L/day)
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Add 1 tbsp chia seeds to your smoothie or water bottle daily.

Your liver determines how smoothly your blood sugar rises and falls.

Support with:

• Cruciferous vegetables daily
  
• Reducing alcohol
  
• 2L filtered water
  
• Sweating (sauna, walks, workouts)
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Add ½ cup steamed broccoli to dinner every night.

Muscles act like glucose sponges.

Try:

• 10-minute walk after meals
  
• Strength training 2–3x/week
  
• Stretching or gentle yoga
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Take a 10-minute walk after your largest meal — clinically shown to reduce blood sugar spikes.

High cortisol = high blood sugar.

Tools:

• 10 min morning sunlight
  
• Belly breathing
  
• Limiting caffeine
  
• Consistent bedtime
  

💡 Small Step, Big Win: Take 5 deep belly breaths before each meal — this improves digestion and lowers glucose.

1. Podcast — Dr. Mark Hyman: “How to Fix Your Blood Sugar & Reverse Insulin Resistance”
🎧 Listen → https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep541

2. Rupa Health Article — “Functional Medicine Approach to Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Dysfunction”
📄 Read → https://www.rupahealth.com/post/functional-medicine-insulin-resistance

3. Peer-Reviewed Study — Journal of Clinical Investigation (2024): The Role of Inflammation in Insulin Resistance
📑 Read → https://www.jci.org/articles/view/140808