Insulin Resistance & Gut Health: What It Is, How It Starts, and Why Your Gut Is at the Centre

Insulin Resistance & Gut Health: What It Is, How It Starts, and Why Your Gut Is at the Centre of It

Insulin resistance is one of those health terms you may have heard in passing — but if you struggle with weight gain around the middle, constant cravings, energy crashes, digestive issues, or stubborn blood sugar problems, it may already be affecting you.

What many people don’t realise is that insulin resistance and gut health are deeply connected. In fact, long before blood sugar markers become abnormal, changes in the gut can quietly push the body towards insulin resistance.

Let’s break it down in simple terms — and, more importantly, what you can do about it.

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What Is Insulin Resistance?

Every time we eat, our pancreas releases insulin. Insulin’s job is to move glucose (sugar from food) out of the bloodstream and into your cells, where it’s used for energy or stored for later.

Your muscles, liver, and fat cells all rely on insulin to “open the door” and let glucose in.

But when insulin resistance develops, those cells stop responding properly to insulin. The door doesn’t open as easily, glucose hangs around in the bloodstream, and the pancreas has to produce more and more insulin to get the job done.

Over time, this constant demand exhausts the pancreas. Blood sugar rises, insulin levels remain chronically high, and this is when we see pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes emerge.

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So Where Does Gut Health Come Into This?

Here’s the crucial piece that often gets missed.

Your gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in your digestive tract — plays a direct role in blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity.

When the gut is under strain (low fibre intake, ultra-processed foods, chronic stress, antibiotics, gut infections, hormonal changes), several things can happen:

• Blood sugar rises more quickly after meals

• Low-grade inflammation increases

• Insulin receptors become less responsive

• Appetite and cravings become harder to regulate

In other words, a struggling gut makes insulin resistance far more likely — even before weight gain shows up.

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Signs You May Be Insulin Resistant

You don’t need a diabetes diagnosis to be affected. Common signs include:

• Weight gain around the waist (the classic “apple shape”)

• Intense sugar or carb cravings

• Energy crashes after meals

• Feeling hungry soon after eating

• Brain fog

• Difficulty losing weight despite “doing all the right things”

• Digestive symptoms alongside blood sugar issues

Many people notice gut symptoms first — bloating, irregular bowels, reflux — long before blood sugar problems are flagged on a test.

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What Causes Insulin Resistance?

Insulin resistance is strongly associated with:

• Excess body weight (particularly abdominal fat)

• High blood pressure

• Elevated blood fats

• Chronic inflammation

But diet quality — especially fibre intake and gut support — plays a huge role.

The good news? Insulin resistance is highly reversible, especially when caught early. Dietary changes alone can dramatically improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

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How to Improve Insulin Resistance (Without Wrecking Your Gut)

1. Be Smart With Carbohydrates — Don’t Fear Them

Unless you personally thrive on a low-carb diet, cutting carbs too aggressively can harm gut diversity.

Instead:

• Choose whole, unprocessed carbohydrates

• Prioritise wholegrains like quinoa, rye, wholegrain rice

• Focus on vegetables, legumes, and fruit

Avoid refined flours where possible — they’re absorbed rapidly and spike blood sugar far more than intact grains.

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2. Avoid Sugary Drinks

Fruit juice may sound healthy, but without fibre, sugar hits the bloodstream fast.

This puts immediate pressure on the pancreas and insulin response.

Best choices:

• Water

• Herbal teas

• Tea and coffee (if tolerated)

Avoid sugary fizzy drinks and sweetened beverages altogether.

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3. Prioritise Fibre — Your Gut’s Best Friend

Fibre slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar stable and insulin demands lower.

Even more importantly, fibre feeds beneficial gut bacteria, which directly improves insulin sensitivity.

Aim for a wide variety:

• Vegetables

• Fruit

• Beans and lentils

• Whole grains

• Avocado

Diversity matters just as much as quantity.

5. Balance Every Meal With Protein

Protein slows digestion, prevents blood sugar spikes, and keeps you full for longer.

Good options include:

• Eggs

• Fish

• Chicken or turkey

• Hummus

• Plain yoghurt (if tolerated)

Aim for protein at every meal and snack.

The takeaway

Insulin resistance isn’t just a blood sugar issue — it’s a gut health issue too.

Supporting your digestion, feeding your microbiome, and stabilising blood sugar all work together. When you focus on gut health, insulin sensitivity often improves naturally as a result.

If this feels relevant to you and you’d like personalised support, you’re very welcome to book a FREE 30-minute chat with me. We can explore what’s going on for you and whether I can help.  Please use the link below to book into my diary.