Is Insulin the π Lock or the π Key to Your Metabolic Health? You Decide!!
Published 5 months agoΒ β’Β 10 min read
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The Body's Wisdom: Understanding Our Natural Path to Health
Reader, as I sat down with my morning cuppa joy β today, reflecting on my journey from stressed-out health practitioner who developed pre-diabetes despite following (and even coaching others to follow) a low-glycemic eating plan to balanced and nourished wellness advocate, I couldn't help but think about Oprah's recent revelation about GLP-1 medications.
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Oprah says that after starting on her drug, she was shocked to realize that βthinβ people (whatever her definition is) are βonlyeating when theyβre hungry and stopping when theyβre full.β
This was a revelation to her, because her brain apparently doesnβt send the right hunger and satiety signals.
This is the case for many women because big food has hijacked our brains and our tastebuds to keep us addicted to ultra processed foods. It's no wonder why big food and big pharma are linked together; one benefits from the other, and vice versa, and the cycle perpetuates itself. Like many of us in the wellness space, I've watched the conversation around weight management evolve dramatically over my years in practice.
Here's what fascinates me: while we're racing toward pharmaceutical solutions, our bodies already hold incredible wisdom about hunger, satiety, and natural weight regulation. It's the way God designed us! Let me share what I've learned both through my personal experience and my deep dive into the research as a wellness coach.
π The Historical Perspective
Did you know that obesity was relatively rare throughout most of human history? I subscribe to a phenomenal newsletter from Cultivate News that talked about the history of obesity and fascinating accounts showing that significant weight gain was so uncommon it was actually noteworthy when it occurred in historical figures.
What changed? As I tell my clients, it's not just about individual choices. The shift began with:
The industrialization of our food system
The introduction of ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
Changes in our daily movement patterns
The impact of the Farm Bill on food quality (does subsidized corn and soy ring a bell?)
π¬ The Science Behind the Story
In my practice, I've observed something remarkable: when clients transition away from ultra-processed foods, their natural hunger signals often return within weeks. The research backs this up - our gut microbiome can begin shifting in as little as 24-48 hours when we change our diet.
Here's what I find particularly powerful: recent studies show that UPFs are as addictive as cigarettes. As someone who's helped hundreds of women transform their relationship with food, including myself, I can attest to the very real challenges of breaking free from these engineered food products.
π« Your Natural Path Forward
Through years of clinical observation and personal experience, I've discovered that sustainable health often comes through natural approaches. Here's what I've seen work consistently:
Embrace Real Food: When one of my clients started cooking with traditional fats and whole foods, she was amazed to discover she naturally ate less. "For the first time," she told me, "I actually feel satisfied after meals. I don't even snack between meals anymore!"
Honor Your Microbiome: Remember: your gut bacteria are like a garden. Through my work with hundreds of clients, I've seen how nurturing this internal ecosystem can transform health outcomes.
Explore Intermittent Fasting: Adopting a balanced and nourishing lifestyle that incorporates intermittent fasting and eating real whole foods can promote the same positive effects that these GLP-1 injection therapies promise without the harmful side effects.
π§ Listen to this brilliant interview with Dr. Ben Bikman, both a leading scientist and professor of metabolic health, describing the truth about Ozempic and insulin resistance. I highly encourage you to listen to the very end as he highlights a study that he and his colleagues intentionally did involving 11 women who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes because they are so often excluded from metabolic studies. He shares such a beautiful message of hope!!
Risk: Synthetic may cause loss of natural hunger cues, nausea, vomiting
Natural Approach
Gradual development of natural satiety signals through managing macros by eating whole foods first and adopting intermittent fasting second - No more eating carbs from boxes and bags with barcodes
Benefit: Natural approach strengthens mind-body connection and intuitive eating patterns (quieting the very real food noise in a safe manner)
Blood Sugar Control
Synthetic Approach
Pharmaceutical regulation of blood glucose
Risk: Synthetic may cause pancreatic inflammation, hypoglycemia
Natural Approach
Improved insulin sensitivity through lifestyle by lowering levels of circulating insulin
Risk: Synthetic leads to loss of up to 60% of weight lost coming from lean muscle mass and bone and rebound weight gain if stopped (up to 2/3 of the original weight lost)
Natural Approach
Sustainable weight management through lifestyle
Benefit: Natural approach creates lasting behavioral changes and loss of fat versus loss of lean muscle mass (the presence of ketones through nutritional ketosis preserves lean muscle mass)
Gut Health
Synthetic Approach
May alter gut motility and digestion
Risk: Synthetic may cause severe gastrointestinal issues (sometimes irreversible)
Natural Approach
Improved microbiome diversity and health
Benefit: Natural approach supports overall immune function through incorporating healthy produce that is full of prebiotic fiber and fermented produce and cultured dairy for a diverse microbiome
Long-term Effects
Synthetic Approach
Requires ongoing medication (it is recommended to continue on this medication for life)
Risk: Synthetic has unknown long-term consequences
Natural Approach
Creates sustainable lifestyle changes
Benefit: Natural approach improves overall health markers
π± A Personal Note
In my own journey from an over-nourished health coach to balanced and nourished health advocate, I've learned that true wellness isn't about quick fixes or extreme measures. It's about returning to the wisdom our bodies naturally possess.
Just last week, one of my long-term clients shared something that touched my heart: "You helped me understand that health isn't about fighting my body - it's about listening to it."
Remember: Your body has an incredible capacity for balance and healing. Instead of seeking to override its signals with pharmaceutical interventions, consider first exploring the natural paths to wellness that have supported human health for millennia.
As I always tell my clients: this isn't about perfection - it's about progress. Start where you are, honor your body's wisdom, and know that every small step toward natural health creates ripples of positive change. I've shared this resource in the past, but I have many new subscribers who may not have received it yet. Get your copy of my most comprehensive FREE guide I've ever released!! I normally reserve these in-depth resources for my paid clients, but the information held within the 17 pages of this resource are just too good to keep to myself.
Want to learn more? Check out the resources below to have quick and easy-to-follow resource guides to give you the tools for success. Need accountability? I can provide that too! Being equipped with knowledge is only half the battle. Application is where the battle is won! I have just one spot open for one-on-one coaching remaining, but you'll need to act quickly to snag it, because they fill up quickly. Learn more here ππ»
Do you prefer learning alongside a community of women for even more support? You can have immediate access to two certified coaches and over 75 women who have invested in their health journey by joining Seasons in the Orchard.
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With warmth and wellness,
π Coach AJ
π P.S. Ready to start your wellness journey? Reply to this email with your biggest questions - I'd love to help you get started!
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