Lower Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes Risk by Focusing on Insulin Resistance
November 4, 2026 • Season 4: Episode 43
Belly fat isn’t just about how your jeans fit. It can be a visceral fat signal that your body is struggling with insulin resistance, the metabolic pattern that quietly drives weight gain, inflammation, and higher risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. I’m Dr. Holly Thacker, and I’m breaking down how to become “less sweet” by improving insulin sensitivity with realistic, science-based steps you can discuss with your clinician.
We talk through women-specific red flags that often get missed, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, delivering a baby over nine pounds, and PCOS or PMOS. I also explain why the classic “apple-shaped” body pattern is more concerning than weight stored in the hips and thighs, and why fasting glucose plus lipid patterns like high triglycerides and low HDL can reveal cardiometabolic risk early. Then we dig into practical insulin sensitizers: smart nutrition that cuts refined carbs and added sugars, fiber-forward complex carbs, omega-3 fats, strength training to build muscle, and how better sleep can lower metabolic strain including sleep apnea risk.
Medication and supplement conversations come with nuance. We cover metformin, GLP-1 therapies like semaglutide, and dual GLP-1/GIP options like tirzepatide, along with safety considerations including compounded products and delayed absorption of oral meds. Finally, we connect metabolic care to menopause care: emerging research suggests menopausal hormone therapy may improve insulin sensitivity and may boost weight-loss results when paired with GLP-1-based treatment for some postmenopausal women, with important guidance on progesterone and uterus protection.
