Sweet Lies & Sugar Highs

Hi My Loves! 💕

A cornerstone of good metabolic health is your insulin levels. Let’s break down some myths vs. truths about insulin — and why understanding it is vital, especially for us women in our 20s.

🚨 Why Does the Body Produce Too Much or Too Little Insulin?

When the body overproduces insulin, it's usually due to:

• Insulin Resistance

• High-carb or high-sugar diets

• Obesity

• Stress

• PCOS

• Liver dysfunction

When the body underproduces insulin, it's often because of:

• Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

• Pancreatic damage

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Chronic stress

🔥 Trouble-Makers in Your 20s

Among these, the real culprits for many women in their 20s are:

• Insulin Resistance

• Obesity

• Stress

• PCOS

🧪 What Happens in Insulin Resistance?

When your cells stop responding properly to insulin:

• The pancreas works harder, pumping out more insulin to force sugar into your cells.

• Your body becomes stuck in a cycle: more insulin, less cellular response.

🍭 The Problem with High-Carb / High-Sugar Diets

• These cause frequent blood sugar spikes ⬆️.

• In response, the pancreas releases large amounts of insulin to bring sugar levels back to normal.

• Over time, this constant demand leads to insulin resistance.

🧈 Obesity & Insulin Resistance

• Especially when visceral fat (deep belly fat) is involved:

  • Fat cells release inflammatory molecules 🧬

  • These further damage insulin signaling, making things worse.

😩 Stress & Insulin

• Stress increases cortisol, which raises your blood sugar.

• Your body then releases more insulin to bring blood sugar back down.

• Chronic stress = chronic insulin issues!

💠 PCOS & Insulin

• Women with PCOS often have a baseline higher insulin level due to a complex combo of hormonal + metabolic imbalances.

• This high insulin can, in turn, worsen PCOS symptoms like acne, weight gain, and irregular cycles.

🧬 How Insulin Works Normally:

1. You eat 🍽️ → blood sugar rises.

2. The pancreas releases insulin.

3. Insulin = the key that unlocks cells (muscle, liver, fat) to absorb glucose.

4. Blood sugar drops back to normal.

✨ Simple formula: eat → insulin → sugar enters cells → balance restored.

😖 But in Insulin Resistance:

• Your cells "hear" the insulin signal less clearly.

• It’s like:

  • 🗝️ The key (insulin) becomes rusty, or...

  • 🔒 The lock (cell receptor) gets jammed.

• So glucose isn’t absorbed properly → blood sugar stays high.

• The pancreas says: “Hey! Blood sugar’s still high, let’s make MORE insulin!”

  Result:

• Insulin levels in your blood stay chronically high ⚠️

• Blood sugar might look "normal" — but only because extra insulin is forcing sugar into cells.

• Over time, this burns out the pancreas and worsens the resistance cycle.

🌸 My Personal Story: From Low-Carb Burnout to Sugar Healing

After trying the “Low Carb–Low Sugar” lifestyle, I realized it was pulling the life out of my body.
I felt drained, cold, moody, and disconnected from my own rhythm.
So, I made the switch back to carbs and sugar — the good kind! 🌈

🌿 Dr. Ray Peat’s Take: Why Good Sugars Heal

I'm now following the wisdom of Dr. Ray Peat, whose work on holistic nourishment and energy metabolism has completely reshaped how I look at food.

Dr. Peat believed:

• Gentle, smart sugar intake:

  • 💖 Nourishes the metabolism

  • 🧘‍♀️ Protects the body from stress

  • 🌟 Supports liver and thyroid function

  • 🔁 Can help reverse insulin resistance over time

• Extreme sugar restriction?
  🚫 It might help short-term, but it backfires long-term — causing stress, fatigue, and deeper imbalances.

📝 More on the HOW of good sugars, what to eat, and how to heal in the next blog!

With love,
Zitni Zun ✨💗