What Can You Do About Insulin Resistance?
Quick answer: Insulin resistance can often be improved through a combination of targeted nutrition changes, exercise, evidence-backed supplements like inositol and berberine (especially for PMOS), and in some cases, medication like metformin. The most effective approach is a multi-faceted and personalized plan built with clinical support.1
If you read our last post, you already know insulin resistance means your cells aren't responding to insulin the way they should, so your body pumps out more of it to compensate. The good news is that small and consistent changes can move the needle in weeks, not years.
Read on to find out what works.
What Foods Help Reverse Insulin Resistance?
Prioritizing protein, fiber, and healthy fats at every meal while reducing refined carbs and sugar spikes is the foundation of improving insulin sensitivity.2
A good dietitian will never recommend cutting carbs entirely or following a rigid and restrictive diet. It's about pairing carbs strategically, so your blood sugar doesn't spike and crash, which is what keeps demanding more and more insulin from your body.2
A few practical shifts that make a real difference:2
- Build meals around protein first. Try to include a protein source (eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, tofu, legumes) at every meal as it slows glucose release and keeps you fuller longer. This does not mean that you have to physically eat all your protein off your plate first. (We get this question a lot!)
- Don't eat carbs alone. Pairing carbohydrates with fiber, protein, or fat blunts the blood sugar spike. Fruit with nut butter, toast with eggs, rice with beans and vegetables are all good examples.
- Increase fiber intake. Fiber slows digestion and improves how your body uses insulin. Vegetables, legumes, chia/flax seeds and whole grains are your friends here.
- Limit ultra-processed and high-sugar foods. These cause the sharpest glucose spikes and, over time, ask the most of your insulin response.
These are general principles that most of us can apply to improve our glucose response. However, if you’re struggling with putting these ideas into action, (shout out to our ADHD girlies with executive dysfunction!), working with a registered dietitian can be a game changer.
While the internet is convinced you need to cut out all carbs and that your entire life is now cottage cheese, dietitians can help you incorporate the foods you love into a dietary pattern that makes sense for your preferences and limitations.
Can Exercise Improve Insulin Sensitivity?
Yes! Both strength training and cardio improve insulin sensitivity. Strength training can be especially beneficial because muscle tissue is where a large share of glucose gets stored and used.3-4
Exercise is one of the fastest-acting tools you have. When you move your muscles, they can take up glucose from your blood using insulin independent channels. This effect can last for hours after a workout.
A simple framework to work with:1,3-4
- Strength train 2–3x per week. Building muscle mass increases your body's overall capacity to store and use glucose efficiently.
- Walk after meals. Even a 10–15 minute walk after eating can meaningfully reduce the blood sugar spike from that meal.
- Add movement you enjoy. Consistency beats intensity. A moderate routine you sustain for months outperforms an intense one you quit after two weeks.
If anyone tries to tell you that you should avoid cardio at all costs and uses cortisol in their reasoning, it's a good sign you should ignore them. All exercise is good exercise but the best exercise is the one you enjoy doing.
What Supplements Help with Insulin Resistance?
Inositol and berberine are two of the most common supplements for insulin resistance, particularly for women with PMOS, though they work differently and aren't a replacement for foundational diet and exercise changes.
Inositol
Inositol (we recommend a 40:1 myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol ratio) is one of the most researched supplements for women with PMOS-related insulin resistance.5,6 It's thought to help cells respond more effectively to insulin and has been studied for its role in supporting ovulatory function alongside metabolic improvements.
Berberine
Berberine is a plant compound that is often used for its effects on glycemic control, especially in patients with PMOS.7,8 Like inositol, it’s thought to improve insulin sensitivity and enhances cellular glucose uptake, helping to lower blood sugar levels.7,8
Important: Supplements aren't one-size-fits-all, and "natural" doesn't mean risk-free. They can interact with medications and aren't regulated the same way pharmaceuticals are. The right dose, form, and combination depend on your individual labs, symptoms, and health history. It’s important to discuss supplements with your health care provider before starting something new.
Do I Need Metformin if I Have Insulin Resistance?
Not always, metformin is one option among several, and whether it's right for you depends on your specific labs, symptoms, and how your body responds to lifestyle interventions first.
Metformin is a medication commonly prescribed for insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and PMOS. It works by reducing how much glucose your liver produces and improving how your body responds to insulin.
For some women, especially those with more significant insulin resistance or PMOS symptoms that haven't responded to diet and exercise changes alone, metformin can be an effective part of the plan. For others, lifestyle changes and targeted supplementation may be enough. This is a conversation to have with a clinician who can look at your full picture.
How is Sleep Related to Insulin Resistance?
Poor sleep can influence metabolic health, impact the function of hormones related to appetite and increase food cravings. Research shows that a few nights of poor sleep are enough to impact insulin response the following day.9
This is especially important to take into consideration because women with PMOS are at an increased risk of sleep apnea and irregular sleeping patterns, even if they have a normal BMI.9,10 This means that if you have PMOS, it’s important to manage your sleep as a component of your treatment plan.
Ideally, we should be aiming for 7 – 9 hours of sleep every night. It can help to sleep and wake at the same time, even on weekends. Try to limit active screen time before bed (we see you doom scrollers!) and instead, choose a relaxing wind down routine like reading a book or journalling.
If you find that you:
- Wake up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Are told you have loud, chronic snoring or have noticeable periods where your breathing pauses
- Feel generally unrefreshed in the morning regardless of how much you’ve slept
It may be a good idea to discuss these concerns with your health care practitioner and screen for sleep apnea.
Why Does Insulin Resistance Feel So Overwhelming to Figure Out Alone?
Because it is. Insulin resistance is influenced by what you eat, how you move, your hormones, your stress levels, your genetics and sometimes, even your mental health. It’s not sustainable to be told to eat less carbs and move more. That's not a plan and it doesn’t take into consideration cultural diets and food preferences.
How July Health Supports Women Managing Insulin Resistance:
We built our care model to address all the intersecting factors that influence insulin resistance. Health is complex, your health care team should reflect that.
- Your nurse practitioner evaluates your labs, symptoms, and history to determine whether medication like metformin makes sense for you, monitors your progress over time, and adjusts your plan as your body responds.
- Your registered dietitian translates the general advice above into an actual, livable eating pattern based on your preferences, schedule, and any related conditions like PMOS.
- Your therapist supports the parts of this that don't show up on a lab panel: the stress, the mental load of chronic dieting, body image, the years of guilt and shame connected to a diagnosis that can feel isolating.
Insulin resistance responds well to the right combination of changes but "the right combination" is different for everyone. That's the difference between generic advice and personalized care.
Ready to build a plan that's built for you? Book your first visit with July Health and get matched with a clinical team that looks at the whole picture, not just one piece of it.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about testing and treatment options tailored to you.
References:
1. Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N. Insulin Resistance. [Updated 2023 Aug 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507839/
2. Gołąbek KD, Regulska-Ilow B. Dietary support in insulin resistance: An overview of current scientific reports. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2019 Nov;28(11):1577-1585. doi: 10.17219/acem/109976. PMID: 31756065.
3. Boyer W, Toth L, Brenton M, Augé R, Churilla J, Fitzhugh E. The role of resistance training in influencing insulin resistance among adults living with obesity/overweight without diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2023 Jul-Aug;17(4):279-287. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2023.06.002. Epub 2023 Jun 16. PMID: 37331899.
4. Bird SR, Hawley JA. Update on the effects of physical activity on insulin sensitivity in humans. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2017 Mar 1;2(1):e000143. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000143. PMID: 28879026; PMCID: PMC5569266.
5. Greff D, Juhász AE, Váncsa S, Váradi A, Sipos Z, Szinte J, Park S, Hegyi P, Nyirády P, Ács N, Várbíró S, Horváth EM. Inositol is an effective and safe treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2023 Jan 26;21(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s12958-023-01055-z. PMID: 36703143; PMCID: PMC9878965.
6. Nordio M, Proietti E. The combined therapy with myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol reduces the risk of metabolic disease in PCOS overweight patients compared to myo-inositol supplementation alone. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2012 May;16(5):575-81. PMID: 22774396.
7. Guo J, Chen H, Zhang X, Lou W, Zhang P, Qiu Y, Zhang C, Wang Y, Liu WJ. The Effect of Berberine on Metabolic Profiles in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021 Dec 15;2021:2074610. doi: 10.1155/2021/2074610. PMID: 34956436; PMCID: PMC8696197.
8. Zamani M, Zarei M, Nikbaf-Shandiz M, Hosseini S, Shiraseb F, Asbaghi O. The effects of berberine supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in adults: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022 Oct 14;9:1013055. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1013055. PMID: 36313096; PMCID: PMC9614282.
9. Fernandez RC, Moore VM, Van Ryswyk EM, Varcoe TJ, Rodgers RJ, March WA, Moran LJ, Avery JC, McEvoy RD, Davies MJ. Sleep disturbances in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: prevalence, pathophysiology, impact and management strategies. Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Feb 1;10:45-64. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S127475. PMID: 29440941; PMCID: PMC5799701.
10. Tasali E, Van Cauter E, Ehrmann DA. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Sleep Med Clin. 2008 Mar;3(1):37-46. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2007.11.001. PMID: 19255602; PMCID: PMC2390828.
