In part 1, we saw how insulin resistance is silently building up and contributing to the epidemic of chronic diseases long before they are ever diagnosed. We discussed what it is doing to your body, why it is so prevalent among South Asians, and described its symptoms that go largely unrecognized or misinterpreted.
However, realizing this danger is just half the way. The next step is learning how to spot it early- long before your blood sugar increases, long before you get a diagnosis, and long before your body gets to a breaking point.
We will take you through the most accurate yet ignored ways of finding insulin resistance years before it can show up in normal blood work. You’ll also be able to pick up actionable, science-based lifestyle tactics for reversing the condition here. This is not just about prevention — this is about reclaiming your energy, getting back mental focus, and long-term health.
Most health checkups focus on fasting blood sugar or HbA1c levels when considering metabolic health. Though important, by the time issues are revealed here, it’s often too late to reverse the real problem. In most cases of raised fasting glucose, significant periods of insulin resistance have already set in.
To spot insulin resistance early-on-before it develops into prediabetes or diabetes-well beyond traditional markers, needs to be observed.
Fasting Glucose is the measure of the level of sugar in your blood after an overnight fast. HbA1c is the average level of your blood sugar for the past three months. Whereas these tests are very good at pointing out diabetes, they miss years and years of dysfunction that can silently build up before full-fledged diabetes.
Fasting glucose measures the amount of sugar in your blood after an overnight fast. HbA1c reflects average blood sugar levels over the past three months. These are useful for diagnosing diabetes, but they miss the years of silent dysfunction that precede it.
The human body is very good at compensation. As sensitivity to insulin drops, the pancreas will just pump out more insulin to keep the blood sugar within the ‘normal’ range. So long as blood sugar levels are kept stable, in reality, they are only being maintained by insulin working double time. This state of compensated insulin resistance is where the damage starts to set in.
A basic fasting insulin test will show what glucose cannot. Raised fasting insulin is among the first signs that a metabolic malfunction has begun, even though glucose can stay normal. It reveals that the body is in strain; how much work it has to do to keep things going on an even keel.
Normal fasting insulin should be between 3 and 7 µIU/mL. Most urban adults, particularly South Asians, are above that range and do not know it.
When fasting insulin is joined by fasting glucose, the HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) score can be calculated. This is a much more accurate method of finding how responsive your body is to insulin.
This combination allows us to spot insulin resistance years before diabetes sets in, giving a critical window for intervention.
The Forgotten Role of Family History. If parents or siblings have diabetes, heart disease, or metabolic syndrome, the risk that a person will develop insulin resistance increases by a large margin. Family history reflects not only shared habits but also genetic and epigenetic influences on how bodies metabolize glucose and store fat, and how they respond to insulin.
Normal weight. Active life. Strong family history calls for earlier testing and closer monitoring.
Genomic testing can specify those genetic variations (for example, TCF7L2, PPARG, or FTO) that are related to the sensitivity of insulin response and fat metabolism, as well as type 2 diabetes risk. The testing will tell us who should be tested by trying high-carb diets and specific exercises, or fasting strategies. Just as one bad gene does not mean you will get the disease, having these genes does not mean you will get diabetes.
Low-grade inflammation is both the cause and the result of insulin resistance. Some blood markers can reveal hidden inflammation as well as shed light on the state of metabolic stress.
Testing these markers, especially in those with central obesity or a family history of chronic disease, can provide a deeper picture of metabolic health.
Though fasting insulin and HOMA-IR are important static snapshots, CGM gives dynamic data of responses to food, sleep, stress, and physical activity from different times of the day. A small sensor worn on the arm will track glucose levels every few minutes to provide information about healthy or unhealthy spikes in meal glucose (despite normal fasting sugar), and patterns of overnight trends which may be disrupted by bad sleep or high cortisol.
The use of CGM for a short period, no more than 10 to 14 days-will reveal metabolic inefficiencies long before the actual onset of disease and will provide clear, motivating feedback toward any behavioral change that has to be achieved.
Waiting for blood sugar to rise or for weight gain to appear may mean missing the window where insulin resistance can still be reversed with lifestyle changes alone.
Routine health checkups rarely include fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, inflammatory markers, or genetic insights. That’s why proactive, preventive testing is a powerful form of self-care. For individuals over 30, especially those with family history or subtle symptoms, testing beyond the basics is not optional—it’s essential.
Can It Be Reversed? Yes, and Here’s How
The most empowering truth about insulin resistance is that it is not a life sentence. When detected early, it can not only be managed but also often fully reversed through targeted lifestyle changes. Unlike many chronic conditions, insulin resistance responds remarkably well to consistent shifts in nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress
Nutrition That Improves Insulin Sensitivity
The most effective dietary approach is one that stabilises blood sugar and reduces insulin demand. That typically means:
For some individuals, time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting can be helpful—but it should be personalised and approached under guidance, especially for women or those with hormonal issues.
Physical activity is one of the most powerful tools to reverse insulin resistance—particularly strength training. Muscle tissue is highly insulin-sensitive. By increasing muscle mass, the body becomes more efficient at using glucose, reducing the need for excess insulin.
The ideal routine combines:
Even small amounts of consistent activity can improve insulin sensitivity in a matter of weeks.
Lack of sleep, or poor-quality sleep, increases insulin resistance. During deep sleep, the body repairs tissues, regulates hormones, and recalibrates insulin response. Adults should aim for:
Even one week of improved sleep can lead to measurable improvements in fasting insulin levels.
Chronic stress raises the level of cortisol in the body, which, in turn, increases the production of glucose and reduces sensitivity to insulin. It results in emotional eating, bad sleep, and hormonal imbalances. Stress management is not something that can be considered as an option; it is imperative for the preservation of metabolic health.
Some of the effective stress management strategies include:
The objective is not to eradicate stress but rather to design a way of life that successfully counterbalances it.
Once insulin resistance has been reversed, the body once again gains its metabolic flexibility, that state wherein it can alternate between utilizing glucose and fat based on their availability. Having this flexibility denotes sound metabolic health and is associated with steady energy levels, maintaining a healthy weight, enhanced cognitive function, plus reduced risk for disease.
Studies in Cell Metabolism, Nature Metabolism, and JAMA Internal Medicine have consistently proven that specific lifestyle modifications can significantly improve or even reverse insulin resistance in individuals with a strong family history as well as in those who manifest only the milder forms of dysfunction.
The key is early action and sustained consistency, not perfection.
Knowing that insulin resistance is reversible does not automatically translate into its reversal. Real change takes place when consciousness is converted into purposeful action. Sadly, you cannot wait for a diagnosis or crisis to take charge of your metabolic health.
In your 30s or 50s, feeling great or somewhat funky, there are steps for you today to assess risk, upgrade metabolism, and avoid the diseases of tomorrow.
Start with the Right Tests
If you’ve never tested your fasting insulin, make that your first step. Paired with fasting glucose, it offers powerful insights into how your body is truly handling blood sugar.
Consider including:
These are not yet part of most standard health checkups, but they can reveal issues that conventional reports miss.
Insulin resistance creeps in slowly and quietly, but it does reveal itself to targeted action. The earlier you respond to it, the more reversible the condition becomes.
Use those symptoms as low energy, sugar cravings, stubborn belly fat, skin tags, or disrupted sleep, or if your family suffers from diabetes or heart disease, or even obesity, as reasons to look further into matters, even when your blood sugar levels are “normal.”
Consistency matters more than intensity. The goal is not restriction, but resilience.
At Longeny, we specialise in early detection, deep diagnostics, and personalised care. Our metabolic health programs are designed with the South Asian context in mind—recognising unique genetic risks, cultural food patterns, and lifestyle challenges.
Through advanced testing, including fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, inflammatory markers, genetic panels, and continuous glucose monitoring, we help uncover root causes and guide you on a sustainable, evidence-based path to long-term wellness.
If you’re ready to understand your body better and prevent future disease, not just manage it, our team is here to support you.
Everything starts with a big question: Am I really healthy, or just not sick yet?
Missed Part 1?
Start with the foundations and learn how insulin resistance quietly drives chronic disease → [Read Part 1 here]
