The Relief of Understanding What You Can Actually Do

In the previous post, we talked about what insulin resistance is and how it silently damages your body—from visceral fat accumulation to inflammation, from fatty liver to heart disease.

If you read that post, you might have felt a mixture of emotions. Maybe anxiety, recognizing yourself in those descriptions. Maybe frustration at how long this has been building without you knowing. Maybe even a bit of despair at the cascade of problems.

But here’s what I want you to understand: every single step in that cascade is reversible.

I’m not saying it’s effortless. I’m not selling you a miracle cure. What I’m saying is that your body—right now, as you read this—has the machinery to heal itself. Visceral fat can be mobilized and burned. Insulin sensitivity can be restored. Inflammation can be reduced. Your gut microbiome can be repaired.

The solutions aren’t mysterious. They’re not expensive treatments reserved for the wealthy. They’re logical interventions that target specific parts of the mechanism we discussed.

In this post, we’re going to walk through exactly how to reverse insulin resistance. We’ll cover fasting protocols, dietary changes, specific exercises, supplements, tests you should request from your doctor, and lifestyle factors like sleep and stress management.

But before we dive into the “how,” I need you to understand something crucial about the approach.

Why This Isn’t Another Diet

I’ve watched people fail at reversing insulin resistance countless times. And it’s almost never because they didn’t try hard enough.

They fail because they approach it like a diet.

Here’s what typically happens: Someone reads about keto or intermittent fasting. They get excited. They go all-in for two weeks. They see some initial results. Then life happens—a stressful week at work, a social event, a moment of weakness—and they “fall off the wagon.” They feel like failures. They give up.

The problem isn’t willpower. The problem is misunderstanding what you’re actually doing.

You’re not going on a diet. You’re repairing a broken metabolic system.

Think of it like physical therapy after an injury. If you tore your ACL, you wouldn’t expect to do one week of exercises and be healed. You’d understand that you’re gradually rebuilding strength, retraining movement patterns, and allowing tissue to repair. Some days would be harder than others. Progress wouldn’t be linear. But as long as you kept moving in the right direction, healing would happen.

Reversing insulin resistance is the same. You’re not just losing weight. You’re:

• Giving your pancreas a break so it can recover from years of overwork
• Training your cells to become insulin-sensitive again
• Mobilizing and burning visceral fat that’s been accumulating for years
• Repairing your gut lining and restoring your microbiome
• Reducing systemic inflammation throughout your entire body
• Rebalancing hormones that have been dysregulated

This takes time. How much time depends on how long you’ve had insulin resistance and how severe it is. For some people, significant improvements happen in weeks. For others, it might take months to see dramatic changes.

But here’s the beautiful part: you’ll start feeling better almost immediately. More energy. Better mood. Clearer thinking. Better sleep. These aren’t just nice side effects—they’re signals that your metabolism is beginning to heal.

So let’s talk about how to actually do this.

The Foundation: Time-Restricted Eating and Fasting

Remember from the previous post: insulin resistance develops because insulin stays elevated for too long, too frequently. Your cells become numb to insulin’s signal because they’re constantly exposed to it.

The single most powerful intervention for reversing this is simple: give your body extended periods where insulin levels can drop.

When you don’t eat, your pancreas doesn’t release insulin. Your insulin levels fall. And when insulin is low, several crucial things happen:

1. Your cells start becoming sensitive to insulin again (because the constant signal is gone)
2. Your body switches from “storage mode” to “burning mode”
3. You start mobilizing fat—especially visceral fat—for energy
4. Autophagy kicks in (your cells start cleaning up damaged components)
5. Inflammation begins to decrease

This is why fasting is so effective. It’s not primarily about calorie restriction (though that can help too). It’s about giving your metabolic system the break it desperately needs.

Starting Point: 12:12 (For Absolute Beginners)

If you’ve been eating constantly—breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner, evening snacks—jumping straight into aggressive fasting will likely fail. You need to ease into it.

Start with 12:12. That means 12 hours of fasting, 12 hours where you can eat.

Here’s what that might look like:

• Last meal: 7:00 PM
• Fasting period: 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM (you’re asleep for most of this)
• First meal: 7:00 AM
• Eating window: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM

During the fasting window, you can have:

• Water (as much as you want)
• Black coffee (no cream, no sugar)
• Black tea
• Green tea
• Herbal tea

No calories. None. Even a splash of milk or a teaspoon of sugar will spike insulin and break your fast.

Do this for 2-3 weeks. Let your body adapt. You’ll probably feel hungry at first, especially in the evening if you’re used to late-night snacking. That’s normal. The hunger will pass.

The Sweet Spot: 18:6 (For Most People)

Once 12:12 feels manageable, move to 18:6. This is where you’ll see significant metabolic changes.

18:6 means 18 hours of fasting, 6 hours where you can eat.

Here’s what that might look like:

• Last meal: 6:00 PM
• Fasting period: 6:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day
• First meal: 12:00 PM (lunch)
• Eating window: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM

You’re essentially skipping breakfast. And I know what you’re thinking: “But I’ve always heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

That’s marketing, not science. For most of human history, we didn’t eat first thing in the morning. Our ancestors woke up, went hunting or gathering, and ate later in the day. Your body is designed to function—and function well—in a fasted state.

In fact, many people report having more energy in the morning when fasting. That’s because your body is running on ketones (which we’ll talk about shortly), and ketones are actually a cleaner, more efficient fuel for your brain.

What to eat during your 6-hour window:

This is crucial. You can’t just eat garbage during your eating window and expect results.

Focus on:

• Protein: Eggs, fish, chicken, turkey, grass-fed beef (if you eat meat). Lentils, beans (if you’re vegetarian, though be mindful of the carbs).
• Healthy fats: Avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish like salmon.
• Fiber-rich vegetables: Leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, peppers, zucchini. Aim for variety—remember, 30-40 different types of vegetables per week supports your gut microbiome.
• Fermented foods: Kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi (these support gut health and provide probiotics).

What to minimize or avoid:

• Processed foods (anything that comes in a package with a long ingredient list)
• Refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, pasta, pastries, cookies, crackers)
• Sugar (sodas, fruit juices, candy, desserts)
• Industrial seed oils (vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean oil—use olive oil, butter, ghee, or coconut oil instead)
• Excessive fruit (a handful of berries is fine, but don’t go crazy with fruit thinking it’s “healthy sugar”)

Advanced Protocol: OMAD (One Meal A Day)

Once you’re comfortable with 18:6, you can experiment with OMAD—eating just one meal per day.

This gives you a 23-hour fasting window and a 1-hour eating window.

OMAD is incredibly powerful for:

• Rapidly reducing visceral fat
• Dramatically improving insulin sensitivity
• Deepening autophagy
• Boosting growth hormone production

But it’s not necessary for everyone. Some people thrive on OMAD. Others do better with 18:6. Listen to your body.

If you do try OMAD, make sure your one meal is nutrient-dense and contains adequate protein, healthy fats, and fiber. You’re getting all your nutrition in one sitting, so quality matters even more.

Extended Fasts: 36-Hour, 48-Hour, and Beyond

For people with severe insulin resistance, significant visceral fat, fatty liver, or type 2 diabetes, occasional extended fasts can be incredibly therapeutic.

A 48-hour fast (two full days without eating) once a week or once a month can:

• Accelerate visceral fat mobilization
• Give your digestive system a complete rest
• Trigger deeper autophagy
• Reset inflammation levels

Critical: Extended fasts should be done under medical supervision, especially if you have diabetes or are on medication.

During extended fasts:

• Stay hydrated (drink plenty of water)
• Supplement with electrolytes (Celtic salt, or a product like LMNT)
• If you feel weak or extremely hungry, you can have a teaspoon of MCT oil (this provides ketones without spiking insulin significantly)
• Monitor how you feel—dizziness, extreme fatigue, or feeling unwell means you should break the fast

Breaking Your Fast: It Matters

When you break your fast, especially longer fasts, what you eat first matters.

Don’t break a fast with a massive carb-heavy meal. That will spike your insulin dramatically and can make you feel awful (nausea, fatigue, digestive distress).

Instead, break your fast with something gentle:

• A handful of nuts
• Some bone broth
• A small salad with olive oil
• A couple of boiled eggs

Wait 30-60 minutes, then eat your main meal.

The Fuel Shift: Understanding Ketones

When you fast for more than about 12 hours, something remarkable happens: your body runs out of easily accessible glucose. Your liver has depleted its glycogen stores (stored glucose).

So what does your body do?

It starts breaking down fat—particularly visceral fat—into free fatty acids. Those fatty acids travel to your liver, which converts them into molecules called ketones.

Ketones are an alternative fuel source to glucose. Your brain, your heart, your muscles—they can all run on ketones.

And here’s the beautiful part: ketone metabolism is cleaner than glucose metabolism. It produces fewer reactive oxygen species (the damaging byproducts of cellular energy production). It’s more efficient. Your brain actually works better on ketones—sharper focus, clearer thinking, better memory.

This is why many people report feeling incredibly mentally clear when fasting or eating a very low-carb diet. They’re running on ketones.

You can measure ketones in your blood or breath if you want to track this (ketone meters are available online). But honestly, you don’t need to. You’ll know you’re in ketosis because you’ll feel it—sustained energy, no crashes, mental clarity, reduced hunger.

The Dietary Changes That Support Healing

Fasting is the foundation. But what you eat during your eating window is equally important.

Remember the five things that create small, dense, damaged LDL particles (the kind that form plaques):

1. Glucose (from sugar and refined carbs)
2. Omega-6 fatty acids (from industrial seed oils)
3. Advanced glycation end products (from burning/charring food)
4. Toxins (pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, plastics)
5. Lipopolysaccharides (from leaky gut)

Your dietary strategy needs to address all five.

1. Cut the Sugar and Refined Carbs

This is non-negotiable. If you’re still consuming significant amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates, you will not reverse insulin resistance. Period.

That means:

• No sodas, fruit juices, energy drinks, sweetened coffee drinks
• No candy, cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream (save these for rare occasions, not daily consumption)
• No white bread, white rice, pasta (or severely limit them)
• No “healthy” processed foods like granola bars, protein bars with added sugars, breakfast cereals

Yes, this is hard. Sugar is addictive. Literally. It activates the same reward pathways in your brain as cocaine.

You will crave it at first. Intensely. For about 2-3 weeks, it will be uncomfortable. Then the cravings will fade. Your taste buds will change. Foods that used to taste normal will start tasting cloyingly sweet.

Push through those first few weeks. It gets easier.

2. Eliminate Industrial Seed Oils

Stop cooking with vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and other industrial seed oils.

These oils are extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation and oxidize LDL particles (making them the dangerous, small, dense kind).

Use instead:

• Extra virgin olive oil (for salads and low-heat cooking)
• Butter or ghee (for cooking)
• Coconut oil (for high-heat cooking)
• Avocado oil (for high-heat cooking)

Also, read labels on packaged foods. Almost every processed food contains seed oils. Salad dressings, mayonnaise, crackers, chips, baked goods—they’re full of these oils. This is another reason to avoid processed foods.

3. Don’t Burn Your Food

When you char or blacken food—especially when frying at high temperatures—you create advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

These molecules cause inflammation and oxidative damage.

Better cooking methods:

• Steaming
• Boiling
• Slow cooking
• Baking at moderate temperatures
• Light sautéing

If you love grilled food, that’s fine occasionally. Just don’t make it your daily eating pattern, and don’t char everything to a crisp.

4. Reduce Toxin Exposure

This is harder because toxins are everywhere in the modern environment. But you can reduce your exposure:

Food:

• Buy organic when possible (especially for the “Dirty Dozen”—foods known to have high pesticide residues)
• Avoid farmed fish (which accumulate heavy metals and other toxins); choose wild-caught when possible
• Soak rice overnight and rinse thoroughly before cooking to remove arsenic
• Filter your drinking water (to remove heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride)

Home environment:

• Check for mold, especially in bathrooms, basements, and anywhere with water damage. That musty smell is mold. Fix it.
• Minimize plastic use (especially for hot foods/liquids, which leach more chemicals). Use glass or stainless steel containers instead.
• Be cautious with cleaning products and air fresheners (many contain endocrine disruptors)

Personal care:

• Check your personal care products (lotions, shampoos, cosmetics) for harmful chemicals. The skin absorbs what you put on it.

5. Heal Your Gut to Stop Lipopolysaccharide Leakage

A leaky gut allows bacterial cell wall fragments (lipopolysaccharides) into your bloodstream, driving inflammation and worsening insulin resistance.

How to heal your gut:

Fiber, fiber, fiber:

Your gut bacteria need fiber to survive and thrive. Most people are massively fiber-deficient.

Aim for 30-40 different types of plant foods per week. That includes:

• Vegetables (all types—leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables, peppers, etc.)
• Herbs and spices (these count!)
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes (beans, lentils)

If you’re struggling to get enough fiber, supplement with inulin powder (a soluble fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria). Mix a scoop into water or kefir daily.

Fermented foods:

These provide beneficial bacteria and postbiotics (the compounds those bacteria produce):

• Kefir (dairy or non-dairy)
• Sauerkraut (make sure it’s raw/unpasteurized—the kind in the refrigerated section)
• Kimchi
• Yogurt (unsweetened, full-fat, with live cultures)
• Miso
• Tempeh

Aim to include some fermented food daily.

Avoid gut irritants:

For some people, certain foods punch holes in the intestinal lining:

• Gluten (especially if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity—more common than people realize)
• Excessive alcohol (damages the gut lining directly)
• NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin) taken regularly (these damage the gut lining)

What About Meat?

I need to address this because it’s controversial.

Some people do well eating moderate amounts of high-quality meat (grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, wild-caught fish). Others do better on plant-based or mostly plant-based diets.

If you eat meat:

• Source quality: grass-fed, grass-finished beef (higher in omega-3, lower in omega-6)
• Pasture-raised chicken and eggs
• Wild-caught fish (especially fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel—high in omega-3)
• Moderate portions (meat is a side dish, not the entire meal)

If you don’t eat meat:

• You’ll need to be more strategic about protein (lentils, beans, quinoa, tofu, tempeh)
• You’ll need to supplement B12 (not available in plant foods)
• You’ll likely need to supplement omega-3 (from algae-based sources)

The common thread regardless of whether you eat meat: eat real, unprocessed food.

The Exercise That Actually Helps (And What to Avoid)

Exercise is important for reversing insulin resistance. But not all exercise is created equal.

In fact, some types of exercise—the kinds most people do—can actually worsen inflammation and stress your system without providing much metabolic benefit.

What NOT to Do: Excessive Chronic Cardio

Long, slow, steady-state cardio—running on a treadmill for an hour, cycling 100 kilometers, endless spinning classes—is not optimal for reversing insulin resistance.

Here’s why:

When you do excessive aerobic exercise, especially when you’re already metabolically unhealthy, you:

• Increase oxidative stress (creating reactive oxygen species that damage cells)
• Can worsen inflammation
• Divert blood flow away from your gut (which can worsen leaky gut)
• Elevate cortisol (a stress hormone that worsens insulin resistance)
• Risk overtraining and injury

This doesn’t mean all cardio is bad. 15-20 minutes of moderate aerobic activity for basic endurance is fine. But don’t overdo it.

What TO Do: Resistance Training and HIIT

The two most effective types of exercise for insulin resistance are:

1. Resistance Training (Strength Training)

When you build muscle, you increase your body’s capacity to absorb and use glucose. Muscle is metabolically active tissue—it pulls glucose out of your bloodstream even at rest.

Resistance training also:

• Increases insulin sensitivity directly
• Helps maintain muscle mass (which you might lose if you’re also doing fasting and calorie restriction)
• Boosts metabolic rate
• Improves bone density

You don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment. Bodyweight exercises work brilliantly:

• Push-ups
• Pull-ups (or assisted pull-ups)
• Squats
• Lunges
• Planks
• Leg raises

If you have access to weights, even better:

• Deadlifts
• Squats with weight
• Bench press or dumbbell press
• Rows
• Overhead press

How often: 3-4 times per week, 30-45 minutes per session.

Important: You don’t need to lift super heavy weights. Focus on proper form and progressive overload (gradually increasing difficulty over time).

2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest periods.

For example:

• Sprint for 30 seconds
• Rest (walk or stand) for 30-45 seconds
• Repeat for 10-15 minutes

Why is this effective?

During the intense burst, you create metabolic demand—your muscles need energy fast. During the rest period, your body clears out the metabolic byproducts (reactive oxygen species, lactate).

This alternating pattern:

• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Burns fat effectively (including visceral fat)
• Doesn’t require much time
• Produces less oxidative stress than chronic cardio (because of the rest periods)

How often: 2-3 times per week, 10-20 minutes per session.

Forms of HIIT:

• Sprinting (running or cycling)
• Jump rope
• Burpees
• Kettlebell swings
• Battle ropes
• Swimming sprints

When to Exercise: During Your Fast

This might sound counterintuitive, but exercising while fasted is actually ideal for insulin sensitivity and fat burning.

Here’s why:

When you fast, your growth hormone levels increase. Growth hormone helps preserve muscle mass and promotes fat burning.

If you exercise near the end of your fast (say, you’re doing 18:6 and you exercise around hour 16-17), you get:

• High growth hormone levels (from fasting)
• Increased fat mobilization (because insulin is low)
• Better insulin sensitivity post-workout
• More muscle building when you break your fast with protein

Yes, you might feel strange exercising without eating first. Give it a few tries. Most people adapt and actually prefer it—no heavy stomach, more mental clarity, steady energy.

The Supplements That Actually Matter

I’m generally skeptical of supplements. The supplement industry is full of overpriced, under-researched products that don’t do much.

But there are a handful of supplements that have solid evidence for supporting metabolic health and reversing insulin resistance.

1. Vitamin D3 + K2

Most people are deficient in vitamin D, especially if you live far from the equator or don’t get much sun exposure.

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to:

• Insulin resistance
• Increased inflammation
• Poor immune function
• Depression

Dose: 2,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day (have your doctor check your blood levels to determine the right dose for you).

Why add K2? Vitamin K2 ensures that calcium goes where it should (your bones) and doesn’t accumulate where it shouldn’t (your arteries). This is crucial for cardiovascular health.

Dose: 100-200 mcg of vitamin K2 (MK-7 form) per day.

2. Omega-3 Fish Oil

If you’re not eating fatty fish several times per week, you’re probably deficient in omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s:

• Reduce inflammation
• Support vagus nerve function (which regulates the parasympathetic nervous system)
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Support brain health

Dose: 2-3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day.

Quality matters: Look for fish oil that’s been tested for heavy metals and oxidation. Brands like Nordic Naturals, Carlson, or OmegaVia are reputable.

If you’re vegetarian/vegan, use algae-based omega-3 supplements.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in your body, including glucose metabolism and insulin signaling.

Many people are deficient because modern soil is depleted of magnesium, and processed foods contain almost none.

Magnesium deficiency worsens insulin resistance.

Dose: 300-400 mg of magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate per day (these forms are better absorbed than magnesium oxide).

Bonus: Magnesium also helps with sleep quality and muscle relaxation.

4. Inulin (Prebiotic Fiber)

As discussed in the gut healing section, fiber is crucial for your microbiome.

Inulin is a soluble fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

Dose: 5-10 grams per day (start with a smaller dose and gradually increase to avoid digestive discomfort).

How to take it: Mix into water, kefir, or a smoothie.

5. Probiotic (Spore-Based)

A good probiotic can help restore beneficial gut bacteria, especially if you’ve had antibiotic use, poor diet, or chronic stress.

Spore-based probiotics (like MegaSpore) are particularly effective because the spores survive stomach acid and germinate in your intestines.

Dose: Follow the product instructions (usually 1-2 capsules per day).

6. Nattokinase (Optional, For Advanced Cases)

Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from fermented soybeans. It helps reduce blood clotting and may help reduce fibrin levels (which are often elevated in metabolic syndrome).

Dose: 2,000-8,000 fibrinolytic units per day.

Caution: Don’t take this if you’re on blood thinners or have bleeding disorders. Consult your doctor.

7. Berberine (Optional, For Blood Sugar Control)

Berberine is a plant compound that has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar almost as effectively as metformin (a diabetes medication).

Dose: 500 mg, 2-3 times per day (take with meals).

Note: Berberine can interact with medications, so check with your doctor first.

The Tests You Should Request From Your Doctor

Standard medical tests often miss insulin resistance until it’s quite advanced.

Your doctor will check fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C. Both of these can look “normal” while you already have severe insulin resistance, fatty liver, and visceral fat accumulation.

Here are the tests you should actually request:

1. Fasting Insulin

This is the single most important test for detecting insulin resistance early.

Normal fasting insulin: Below 5 µIU/mL (ideally below 3)
Insulin resistance: Above 10 µIU/mL
Severe insulin resistance: Above 15-20 µIU/mL

If your fasting insulin is elevated, you have insulin resistance—even if your blood sugar looks fine.

2. Hemoglobin A1C

This measures your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months.

Optimal: Below 5.3%
Pre-diabetic range: 5.7-6.4%
Diabetic: 6.5% or higher

Even if you’re in the “normal” range (below 5.7%), if you’re on the higher end (5.4-5.6%), you likely have some degree of insulin resistance.

3. Coronary Calcium Score (CAC)

This is a CT scan that measures calcium deposits in your coronary arteries—a marker of plaque buildup.

Score of 0: No detectable plaque (ideal)
Score of 1-100: Mild plaque
Score of 100-400: Moderate plaque
Score above 400: Severe plaque

If you’re over 30 and have risk factors (family history, visceral fat, metabolic issues), get this test. It’s non-invasive and gives you a clear picture of your cardiovascular health.

4. Advanced Lipid Panel (Cleveland HeartLab or Similar)

Standard cholesterol tests just measure total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

An advanced lipid panel measures:

• LDL particle size: Are your LDL particles small and dense (bad) or large and fluffy (okay)?
• Oxidized LDL: Are your LDL particles oxidized (damaged)?
• Inflammatory markers: hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha
• Lipoprotein(a): A genetic risk factor for heart disease

This gives you a much more accurate picture of cardiovascular risk.

5. Liver Function Tests + Fatty Liver Assessment

Standard liver function tests (ALT, AST) can detect liver damage, but they often don’t catch fatty liver early.

Ask for:

• Liver ultrasound or FibroScan: Non-invasive imaging to detect fat in the liver
• ALT and AST: Elevated levels suggest liver inflammation

If you have visceral fat, there’s a high chance you have fatty liver. You need to know.

6. Inflammatory Markers

Chronic inflammation is at the root of insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease.

Ask for:

• hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein): Should be below 1.0 mg/L
• Interleukin-6 (IL-6): Elevated in chronic inflammation
• Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α): Another inflammatory marker

7. Gut Health Testing (Optional)

If you suspect gut issues (bloating, irregular bowel movements, food sensitivities), you can do comprehensive stool testing to assess:

• Microbiome diversity
• Presence of pathogenic bacteria or parasites
• Markers of gut inflammation
• Digestive enzyme function

Companies like Genova Diagnostics, Diagnostic Solutions (GI-MAP), or Thorne offer these tests.

8. Toxin Testing (Optional)

If you suspect heavy metal exposure, mold toxicity, or pesticide/herbicide accumulation, you can request:

• Heavy metals panel: Blood or urine test
• Mycotoxin testing: Urine test for mold toxins
• Pesticide/herbicide panel: Urine test

These are more specialized and not necessary for everyone, but if you have unexplained inflammation or symptoms, they’re worth considering.

The Lifestyle Factors You Cannot Ignore

You can do everything right with fasting and diet, but if you’re not sleeping well, chronically stressed, and ignoring your vagus nerve, you’ll struggle to reverse insulin resistance.

Sleep: The Non-Negotiable

One night of poor sleep makes you insulin resistant the next day.

Let me repeat that: One night.

Sleep deprivation:

• Disrupts glucose metabolism
• Increases cortisol (a stress hormone that raises blood sugar)
• Increases hunger hormones (ghrelin) and decreases satiety hormones (leptin)
• Worsens inflammation
• Impairs gut microbiome function

How much sleep do you need?

Most adults need 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Not time in bed—actual sleep.

How to improve sleep:

• Keep a consistent schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (yes, even weekends).
• Make your room dark: Use blackout curtains or an eye mask. Even small amounts of light can disrupt sleep.
• Make your room cool: 65-68°F (18-20°C) is optimal for most people.
• Avoid screens before bed: Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs suppresses melatonin. Stop screen time at least 1 hour before bed (or use blue light blocking glasses).
• Avoid caffeine after 2 PM: Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours. That afternoon coffee is still in your system at bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol: Yes, alcohol might make you feel sleepy, but it disrupts sleep architecture and prevents deep, restorative sleep.
• Consider magnesium: Taking magnesium glycinate before bed can help with sleep quality.

If you have chronic sleep issues (sleep apnea, insomnia), see a doctor. Sleep apnea, in particular, is strongly linked to insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease.

Stress: The Silent Saboteur

Chronic stress elevates cortisol. Elevated cortisol:

• Raises blood sugar
• Worsens insulin resistance
• Promotes visceral fat accumulation (specifically around the belly)
• Suppresses the immune system
• Disrupts the gut microbiome

You can’t eliminate all stress. But you can manage how you respond to it.

Stress management techniques:

• Breathwork: 5-10 minutes per day of deep breathing (inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 8 counts). This stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Meditation or mindfulness: Even 10 minutes per day has measurable effects on cortisol and stress response.
• Time in nature: Walking in nature reduces cortisol and improves mood.
• Social connection: Spending time with people you care about is one of the most powerful stress buffers.
• Limit news/social media consumption: Constant exposure to negativity and outrage increases baseline stress levels.

The Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s Reset Button

The vagus nerve is the main nerve of your parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” system that counterbalances the “fight or flight” sympathetic system.

When your vagus nerve is functioning well:

• Your heart rate variability is high (a marker of good cardiovascular health)
• You recover better from stress
• Your gut functions better
• Inflammation is lower

When your vagus nerve is dysfunctional (often due to chronic stress, poor gut health, or overtraining):

• You’re stuck in sympathetic overdrive
• You get heart palpitations
• You feel anxious or wired
• Your gut is a mess

How to stimulate and support your vagus nerve:

1. Deep breathing exercises (as described above)
2. Cold exposure: Cold water on your face or neck, or cold showers. The “dive reflex” stimulates the vagus nerve.
3. Humming or singing: The vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve. Seriously. Hum for 10 minutes a day.
4. Gentle eye movements: Look far right, far left, up, down. Stimulates vagal pathways.
5. Massage: Particularly around the neck (where the vagus nerve runs).
6. Omega-3 supplementation: Supports vagal function.
7. Fixing your gut: A healthy gut supports a healthy vagus nerve (they’re intimately connected).

Avoid Overtraining

Remember the example from earlier: excessive exercise diverts blood from your gut, can worsen leaky gut, and damages your vagus nerve.

Listen to your body. If you’re constantly fatigued, getting sick frequently, or experiencing heart palpitations, you might be overtraining.

Rest is not laziness. Rest is when healing happens.

Putting It All Together: A Practical Plan

This is a lot of information. Let me give you a practical, phased approach so you’re not overwhelmed.

Phase 1: Weeks 1-3 (Foundation)

Goal: Establish basic fasting and eliminate the worst dietary offenders.

Actions:

• Start 12:12 fasting (12 hours fasting, 12 hours eating window)
• Eliminate sugary drinks (sodas, juices, sweetened coffee drinks)
• Eliminate obvious processed foods (candy, cookies, pastries, chips)
• Start walking 20-30 minutes per day
• Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night

Why this phase matters: You’re giving your body a taste of lower insulin levels and reducing the most harmful foods. Don’t try to change everything at once. Build the foundation.

Phase 2: Weeks 4-8 (Deepening)

Goal: Transition to 18:6 fasting and clean up your diet further.

Actions:

• Move to 18:6 fasting (18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating window)
• Eliminate refined carbs (white bread, white rice, pasta)
• Switch from seed oils to olive oil, butter, ghee
• Add fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut) to your daily routine
• Start resistance training 2-3x per week (bodyweight exercises or weights)
• Add 5-10 minutes of daily breathwork
• Start supplementing: Vitamin D3+K2, Omega-3, Magnesium

Why this phase matters: You’re now in a solid fasting rhythm. Your insulin levels are dropping significantly. You’re building muscle (which improves insulin sensitivity). You’re supporting your gut.

Phase 3: Weeks 9-12 (Optimization)

Goal: Fine-tune your protocol based on how you feel and your results.

Actions:

• Experiment with OMAD (one meal a day) 1-2x per week if you feel ready
• Add HIIT training 2x per week (in addition to resistance training)
• Continue refining your diet (focus on variety—30-40 different plant foods per week)
• Add inulin powder and probiotic supplement for gut health
• Practice vagus nerve stimulation techniques (humming, cold exposure, eye movements)
• Get lab work done: fasting insulin, hemoglobin A1C, advanced lipid panel, inflammatory markers

Why this phase matters: You’re now optimizing and personalizing. You’re measuring progress objectively. You’re addressing the gut and vagus nerve specifically.

Phase 4: Month 4 and Beyond (Maintenance and Monitoring)

Goal: Sustain your results and continue improving.

Actions:

• Maintain 18:6 fasting (or OMAD if it works well for you) as your baseline
• Do a 24-48 hour fast once per month if appropriate for you
• Continue resistance training and HIIT
• Keep eating real, whole foods with plenty of fiber and variety
• Monitor your labs every 3-6 months to track progress
• Adjust based on results and how you feel

Why this phase matters: This isn’t a temporary fix. This is your new normal. You’re retraining your metabolism for life.

What Success Actually Looks Like

You need to know what to expect so you don’t get discouraged or give up too early.

Week 1-2: The Adjustment Period

What you might feel:

• Hunger (especially during fasting windows)
• Some fatigue as your body adapts
• Cravings for sugar and carbs
• Maybe some irritability (totally normal)

What’s happening: Your body is transitioning from being a sugar-burner to being more metabolically flexible. It’s not fun, but it’s temporary.

Week 3-4: The Shift

What you might feel:

• Reduced hunger (fasting becomes easier)
• More stable energy (no more afternoon crashes)
• Better mood
• Starting to sleep better

What’s happening: Your insulin levels are dropping. You’re starting to tap into fat stores. Your body is remembering how to use ketones.

Week 6-8: The Momentum

What you might feel:

• Significant increase in energy
• Mental clarity (sharp focus, clear thinking)
• Visible reduction in belly fat
• Clothes fitting better
• Better digestion

What’s happening: Insulin sensitivity is improving. Visceral fat is mobilizing. Inflammation is decreasing. Your gut is healing.

Month 3-6: The Transformation

What you might see:

• Dramatic reduction in visceral fat (the belly fat that was protruding)
• Labs improving (fasting insulin dropping, hemoglobin A1C dropping, inflammatory markers decreasing)
• Reversal of fatty liver (if you had it)
• Improved cardiovascular markers
• Better mood, sleep, energy, mental clarity
• Possibly reversal of type 2 diabetes (if you had it)

What’s happening: Your metabolism is healing. The cascade we discussed in the previous post is reversing. Insulin sensitivity is being restored. Your body is repairing itself.

The Challenges You’ll Face (And How to Handle Them)

Let’s be honest: this isn’t easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it and we wouldn’t have an epidemic of insulin resistance.

Here are the common challenges and how to navigate them.

Challenge 1: Social Pressure

People will question what you’re doing. They’ll say you’re “starving yourself” when you fast. They’ll push food on you. They’ll make fun of you for not eating breakfast or turning down cake at a birthday party.

How to handle it:

You don’t owe anyone an explanation. But if you want to give one, keep it simple: “I’m working on my metabolic health” or “I’m following a specific eating schedule that works for me.”

Remember: the people criticizing you are often the ones struggling with their own health. Don’t let their discomfort derail your progress.

Challenge 2: Hunger

Hunger is uncomfortable, especially at first.

How to handle it:

• Remember that hunger comes in waves. If you wait 20-30 minutes, it usually passes.
• Drink water, black coffee, or tea. Often what feels like hunger is actually thirst.
• Remind yourself that hunger is not an emergency. You’re not starving. Your body has plenty of stored energy (especially if you have visceral fat).
• Distinguish between true hunger and habit/boredom. Most of the time, it’s habit.

Challenge 3: Plateaus

You’ll see progress for a while, then it might stall. Weight loss slows down. You stop seeing changes.

How to handle it:

• This is normal. Your body is adjusting.
• Don’t panic and give up. Keep going.
• Consider changing something: try OMAD for a week, do a 48-hour fast, increase exercise intensity, check your diet for hidden sugars or seed oils.
• Remember that the scale isn’t the only measure. Are you feeling better? Sleeping better? Is your belly shrinking even if overall weight isn’t dropping much? (You might be gaining muscle while losing fat.)

Challenge 4: Slip-Ups

You’ll have days where you eat something you shouldn’t. You’ll break your fast early. You’ll skip a workout. You’ll have a week where everything falls apart.

How to handle it:

• Don’t spiral into shame and give up.
• One bad day or even one bad week doesn’t erase all your progress.
• Just get back on track the next day. No dramatic “restarting” necessary. Just continue.

Remember: this isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistent progress over time.

The Final Truth: Your Body Wants to Heal

I want to end with something important.

Your body is not broken beyond repair. It’s not sabotaging you. It’s not punishing you for past mistakes.

Your body is an incredibly sophisticated system that wants to return to balance. When you have insulin resistance, visceral fat, inflammation—your body is doing its best to cope with an environment (constant eating, processed foods, chronic stress, lack of sleep) that it wasn’t designed for.

The moment you change that environment—the moment you give your body the conditions it needs—it will start healing.

You’ll feel it. Your energy will return. Your mood will stabilize. Your thinking will clear. Your belly will shrink. Your labs will improve.

This isn’t magic. It’s not a miracle cure. It’s your body doing what it was always designed to do: repair, rebuild, and restore balance.

You just need to give it the space to do that.

So start. Start today. Start with 12:12 fasting. Start by cutting out soda. Start by taking a 20-minute walk.

You don’t need to do everything at once. You just need to start moving in the right direction.

And then keep going.

Your future self—the one with clear thinking, steady energy, a healthy heart, and a body that feels good to live in—is waiting for you.

Go meet them.

Key Takeaways:

• Fasting is the foundation: Start with 12:12, progress to 18:6, consider OMAD or extended fasts for deeper healing
• Diet quality matters during eating windows: Focus on real foods, eliminate sugar/refined carbs, avoid seed oils, prioritize fiber and fermented foods
• Exercise strategically: Resistance training and HIIT are most effective; avoid excessive chronic cardio
• Supplement wisely: Vitamin D3+K2, Omega-3, Magnesium, Inulin, and probiotics support the healing process
• Test properly: Request fasting insulin, advanced lipid panels, coronary calcium score—don’t rely on basic tests alone
• Sleep and stress management are non-negotiable: Poor sleep and chronic stress will sabotage all other efforts
• Support your vagus nerve: Breathwork, cold exposure, humming, and gut health all support parasympathetic function
• Be patient and consistent: Healing takes time; progress isn’t always linear, but it is real
• Your body wants to heal: Give it the right conditions and it will restore balance

(Written by Human, improved using AI where applicable.)