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In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with information about health and wellness, one fact continues to fly under the radar for most people: 88% of Americans are affected by some degree of insulin resistance, and most have no idea. This silent epidemic is impacting our ability to live long, healthy lives, contributing to everything from obesity and diabetes to muscle loss and cognitive decline. But here’s the good news—there’s something we can do about it.

Dr. Mark Hyman and other prominent longevity leaders have been ringing the alarm bell about insulin resistance and its devastating effects on our health. If you’re serious about living a long, healthy life, understanding how to "hack" your blood sugar and insulin levels might be the single most important thing you can do.

What is Insulin Resistance and Why Does It Matter?

Let’s break it down: Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that helps your cells absorb glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream and use it for energy. When you consume too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (hello, white bread and sugary drinks), your body produces more insulin to handle the excess glucose. Over time, your cells become less sensitive to insulin, meaning your body has to pump out more and more of it just to keep blood sugar levels in check.

This condition is called insulin resistance. Eventually, your pancreas can’t keep up, your blood sugar levels start to rise, and you’re on a fast track to type 2 diabetes and a host of other chronic conditions.

Here’s why it matters: Insulin resistance doesn’t just affect your blood sugar. It leads to increased belly fat, muscle loss, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and even brain damage. Over time, it contributes to sarcopenia—the gradual loss of muscle mass as we age—leading to disability, metabolic chaos, and a spiral into poor health.

The Hidden Epidemic: 88% of Americans Affected, Most Don’t Even Know

The most shocking part? 90% of people who have insulin resistance don’t know they have it. Most doctors don’t regularly check for insulin resistance during routine exams, and many people go years without knowing that they’re heading toward a chronic disease like type 2 diabetes.

Most doctors never check fasting insulin levels or glucose levels after a sugar load, even though these tests provide a clear snapshot of how well your body is aging. A prominent Harvard cardiologist once said that if you found a group of 100-year-olds with clean arteries, the one thing they would all have in common is insulin sensitivity—their cells require very little insulin to manage blood sugar. In other words, insulin sensitivity is a key marker of longevity.

How Does Insulin Resistance Happen?

It’s actually pretty simple: sugar and starch overload. The typical American diet includes a staggering 152 pounds of sugar and 133 pounds of flour per person each year. Processed foods now make up about 60% of our total calorie intake, leading to widespread insulin resistance. No wonder half of Americans over the age of 60 have insulin resistance, and the problem is showing up in younger people too—children as young as three years old are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Here’s how it works:

Excess starch and sugar → more insulin production by the pancreas.
Cells become resistant to insulin’s effects → more insulin is needed to control blood sugar.
Eventually, insulin can no longer keep up → blood sugar rises, leading to type 2 diabetes and other health issues.

The Consequences of Insulin Resistance

The consequences of untreated insulin resistance are staggering. Here’s what can happen when your body becomes insulin resistant:

Increased Belly Fat: Insulin resistance causes fat to accumulate around the belly, leading to a higher risk of heart disease.
Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia): Insulin resistance leads to muscle loss, driving us into a rapid spiral of metabolic decline. Muscle mass is crucial for metabolic health, and losing it can accelerate aging.
Chronic Inflammation: Insulin resistance increases inflammation throughout the body, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions.
Hormonal Imbalances: Insulin resistance can disrupt the balance of hormones like cortisol and estrogen, affecting everything from mood to fertility.
Brain Health: Insulin resistance is linked to cognitive decline and an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

How to Reverse Insulin Resistance and Take Control of Your Health

Now for the good news: insulin resistance is reversible. By making changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can restore insulin sensitivity and dramatically reduce your risk of chronic disease. Here’s how you can take action today:

Cut Back on Sugar and Starches

Why It Works: Reducing your intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates gives your body a break from the insulin rollercoaster. We also recommend cutting back—or even eliminating—starches and sugars for a period of time to allow your cells to become more insulin sensitive.
The Science: Studies show that a low-carbohydrate diet can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and help people lose weight, lower blood sugar, and reduce belly fat【source: Hallberg et al., 2018】.

Increase Healthy Fats and Protein

Why It Works: Healthy fats (like avocado, nuts, and olive oil) and quality protein (like grass-fed beef or wild-caught fish) help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the body’s need for insulin.
The Science: Diets higher in healthy fats and lower in carbohydrates have been shown to improve metabolic flexibility and reduce insulin resistance【source: Volek et al., 2008】.

Exercise Regularly

Why It Works: Strength training and aerobic exercise increase insulin sensitivity by helping your muscles use glucose for energy. Exercise also helps combat the muscle loss that occurs with aging.
The Science: A combination of resistance training and aerobic exercise has been shown to significantly improve insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health【source: Colberg et al., 2010】.

Focus on Whole, Unprocessed Foods

Why It Works: Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins provide the nutrients your body needs without the blood sugar spikes caused by processed foods.
The Science: Diets rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease【source: Ludwig et al., 2018】.

Long-Term Strategy: Achieving Metabolic Flexibility

As you reduce starches and sugars, your body will gradually become more insulin sensitive. Once this happens, you can reintroduce healthy carbohydrates—like starchy vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains—into your diet with greater metabolic flexibility. This means your body will be better equipped to handle these foods without spiking blood sugar levels.

The Bottom Line: Insulin Sensitivity is the Key to Longevity

Reversing insulin resistance isn’t just about preventing diabetes—it’s about longevity. People who live to 100 with clean arteries all have one thing in common: insulin sensitivity. By taking steps now to improve your insulin sensitivity, you can prevent a host of chronic diseases, maintain muscle mass, reduce inflammation, and improve brain health.

Want to learn more about how to hack your blood sugar and improve your metabolic health? Start by taking our free health risk assessment, which will give you a personalized snapshot of your current health and what you can do to optimize it.

References:

Hallberg, S. J., Gershuni, V. M., Hazbun, T. L., & Athinarayanan, S. J. (2018). Reversing Type 2 Diabetes: A Narrative Review of the Evidence. Nutrients, 10(4), 560.
Volek, J. S., et al. (2008). Dietary carbohydrate restriction induces a unique metabolic state positively affecting lipoprotein metabolism in adults with metabolic syndrome. Journal of Nutrition, 138(3), 503-509.
Colberg, S. R., et al. (2010). Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes: The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: Joint Position Statement. Diabetes Care, 33(12), e147-e167.
Ludwig, D. S., et al. (2018). Dietary carbohydrates: role of quality and quantity in chronic disease. BMJ, 361.

A Silent Epidemic Affecting 88% of Americans and How to Take Control