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Insulin Resistance: Why Your Body Feels Stuck in a Cycle
And Steps You Can Take Today to Break the Cycle
September 5, 2024 | By Kelley R Kirchner, DC, DABCI
For many people, changes in their blood sugar can quietly affect how they feel day to day. They are doing the right things, but still struggling.
Are you hungry, shaky, or moody if you don’t eat?
Feeling tired or fatigued in the afternoon?
Craving starchy/sugary foods?
Having a hard time losing weight, but a really easy time gaining it?
You may be caught in a vicious cycle called insulin resistance, a cycle that keeps making itself worse over time. It often shows up first as energy crashes, cravings, and weight gain that feels out of your control.
If this pattern continues, it can move the body closer to conditions like type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease.
The good news is that once you understand what’s happening, there are steps you can take to move back toward better health.
What is insulin resistance?
Well, first you need to remember that when you eat carbohydrates, like pasta, bread, or sugary desserts, your body digests all of those down into sugars. The sugars are absorbed into your blood stream. This raises your blood sugar levels.
Your body responds to high blood sugar levels by releasing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that tells your cells to absorb the blood sugars and use them for energy.
When your blood sugar spikes too fast or too high, the rebound from the insulin can drop your blood sugar too low. Your blood sugar rises fast and then drops fast.
And this is where it becomes a vicious cycle
When your blood sugar drops too low, you begin to feel moody and irritable, feeling hungry, craving more sugar… and it begins again.
I like to think of insulin resistance like a mom shopping with a toddler who keeps asking for things. At first, the mom responds. But after hearing the same request over and over, she gets worn down and starts tuning it out.
The message is still there, but she stops reacting to it.
Your cells respond in a similar way. Insulin is the message telling your cells to take sugar out of the blood and use it for energy. When blood sugar rises too often or too high, insulin keeps knocking on the door.
Over time, the cells get tired of hearing that message and stop responding as well. The sugar stays in the blood, insulin levels stay high, and the cycle continues.
So why does it matter?
When blood sugar stays higher than it should, insulin levels stay high, and your body is pushed into storing fat instead of burning it.
These ups and downs in blood sugar also raise stress hormones like cortisol, which encourages weight gain around the belly. Over time, belly fat creates its own chemical signals that increase cravings, raise stress, and make it even harder to feel full.
This is why insulin resistance can feel like a cycle that feeds itself and why understanding it is the first step to changing it.
What can I do?
This cycle isn’t permanent, and the right nutritional support can help your body move back toward balance.
Supplements That Support Balanced Blood Sugar
Supplements can be a helpful piece of an insulin resistance plan — especially when paired with balanced meals, movement, and stress management. The key is choosing forms and combinations your body can actually use, rather than just taking more of any single nutrient.
Green Tea (in Sunflower Phospholipid Complex)
Green tea contains powerful compounds that help support glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Choosing a phospholipid complex from sunflower improves absorption, so your body can actually use the active compounds. This form is gentle on the digestive system and can be useful for anyone looking to support blood sugar balance consistently.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant that also supports glucose uptake in cells. Look for a form that’s well-absorbed, such as stabilized R-alpha lipoic acid. This supplement can be particularly helpful for people who struggle with energy dips, sugar cravings, or difficulty maintaining stable blood sugar throughout the day.
Activated B Complex
B vitamins play a role in energy production, stress response, and carbohydrate metabolism. An activated B complex — including methylated folate, methylcobalamin, and pyridoxal-5-phosphate — is more readily used by the body and supports healthy energy without overloading the system. This can be especially useful for those who feel fatigued, foggy, or stressed while managing blood sugar.
Cinnamon, Fenugreek, and Gymnema Sylvestre
Certain plant compounds can help amplify your body’s natural insulin response. Water-soluble cinnamon (Cinnulin) combined with fenugreek and gymnema sylvestre can work synergistically to support healthy post-meal blood sugar. This combination may be particularly beneficial for women in perimenopause and postmenopause, when insulin sensitivity can shift with hormonal changes.
Options for Different Needs
Some people may benefit from focusing more on antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid and green tea, while others may prioritize supportive plant compounds for post-meal glucose control. The right mix often depends on your life stage, lifestyle, and goals — which is why a personalized approach can make a noticeable difference.
Even small, consistent steps with the right supplements can help you feel more balanced, steady, and in control of your energy and metabolism.
If you’d prefer a simple place to start, we’ve curated a small collection of supplements chosen for quality and effectiveness. This is completely optional and designed for those who want to move forward without additional research.
Insulin resistance can feel like a cycle that never ends, but understanding what’s happening is the first step to breaking free. Now that you know why your energy crashes, cravings spike, and weight feels harder to manage, you can see that it’s not about willpower—it’s about biology.
This cycle isn’t permanent, and your body can respond when given the right signals. Every step you take toward balance helps your cells start listening again. You’ve learned the story of what’s going on inside, and that knowledge is power.
With awareness and persistence, you can move forward with confidence, knowing that change is possible and your body is ready to cooperate.
Need Help Turning Insight Into Progress?
If reading this article made you think, “Yes — that’s exactly what I’m experiencing,” you don’t have to figure it all out alone. Insulin resistance, blood sugar patterns, and lifestyle or lab interpretation can feel complex and personal. We offer individualized guidance that helps you:
• Interpret your lab results
• Connect patterns to your symptoms
• Prioritize lifestyle and nutritional steps that fit your life
Fill out the form below and we’ll respond personally to help you determine what next steps make sense for your situation.
Choosing Support That Makes Sense for You
Q: ‘’How do I know the supplements I’m choosing are good quality?''
Not all supplements are made the same, even if the labels look similar. Quality depends on where the ingredients come from, how much is actually included, and how well your body can absorb them. Some products are made to be inexpensive, not effective. Choosing well-made supplements can make a real difference in how your body responds.
Q: ‘’Why do some supplements work for one person but not another?''
You are unique. Your digestion, stress levels, sleep, and overall health all affect how supplements work in your body. A product that helps someone else may not be the right fit for you. Supplements support your body’s natural processes, so results depend on what your body needs and what’s already going on.
Q: ‘’Can I just buy the same supplements I see recommended everywhere?''
You can, but popular doesn’t always mean appropriate. Many recommendations are very general and don’t consider individual needs. Some products also contain low doses or extra ingredients that don’t add much value. Choosing supplements based on your goals, rather than trends, usually leads to better results.
Q: ‘’How long does it take to notice a difference from supplements?"
Supplements aren’t quick fixes. They work by supporting your body over time. Some people notice changes quickly, while others need longer. Consistency matters, and results are often gradual. Small improvements can add up when you stay steady.
Q: ‘’Do I need to take supplements forever?"
Not always. Some supplements are helpful for a specific phase of life or when targeting specific health challenges. Others may be useful longer term. The goal isn’t to take more supplements, but to give your body what it needs when it needs it.
Q: ‘’How do I avoid taking supplements that don’t actually help me?"
Taking random supplements can get expensive and frustrating. It helps to start with a clear reason for what you’re taking and to choose products that match that goal. When supplements are chosen with intention, there’s less guesswork and better use of your time and money.
Q: "Why do you offer supplements through your own store instead of just listing recommendations?"
Sorting through thousands of supplement options can feel overwhelming. We choose products based on quality, ingredients, and how well they’re used in the body. Offering them in one place makes it easier to find options that meet those standards without having to research everything on your own.
Q: "When would someone benefit from working with a health guide instead of going it alone?"
Some people enjoy figuring things out on their own. Others want help creating a clear plan and understanding where to focus first. Working with a health guide can be helpful when you want personalized support, a bigger-picture view, or help connecting the dots.
Q: "What if I just want to start small?"
Starting small is perfectly okay. One or two well-chosen steps can be enough to get going. Learning more about your options is a great place to begin, and you can always build from there at your own pace.
Taking the Next Step When You’re Ready
Sometimes your health journey benefits from a bit of guidance. We offer personalized coaching to help you make sense of your options, connect the pieces, and create a plan that fits your unique needs.
If one-on-one support feels like the right next step, you’re welcome to reach out using the form below. We’ll respond personally and help you decide what makes sense.
Prefer to begin on your own? You can explore our thoughtfully curated supplement options at any time.
Quick Summary
A clear snapshot of what insulin resistance is — and how you can move toward better balance.
Insulin resistance is a common metabolic pattern:
It happens when your cells stop responding as well to insulin, the hormone that helps your body use blood sugar for energy.
That often creates a cycle you feel day to day:
Drops and spikes in blood sugar can show up as cravings, energy crashes, mood changes, and difficulty managing weight.
Insulin resistance isn’t a fixed state:
Your body can respond again when you give it the right signals through food, movement, sleep, and stress management — it’s not about willpower, it’s biology.
Understanding what’s going on sets you up to change it:
Once you see how your body is reacting, small, consistent changes can help your cells become more responsive again.
You don’t have to do it alone:
You can explore curated supplement options for supportive nutrition, or choose personalized guidance to help you create a plan tailored to your situation and goals.
If you’d prefer a simple place to start, we’ve curated a small collection of supplements chosen for quality and effectiveness. This is completely optional and designed for those who want to move forward without additional research.
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