Category Archives: Nutrition

If you’ve ever walked down a grocery store aisle and felt overwhelmed by all the buzzwords slapped across food packages, you’re not alone. Labels like “high protein,” “low carb,” and “no sugar added” sound healthy—but most of the time, they’re just sneaky marketing tactics.

Let’s break down 5 of the most misleading labels and what they really mean.

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1. High Protein

This label has become the star of every granola bar, cereal box, and frozen snack aisle. But here’s the thing: if a food has to brag about being high in protein, it’s probably just a bunch of processed junk with whey protein powder thrown in.

Whey protein is one of the most insulin-spiking ingredients out there. It’s cheap, ultra-processed, and not something your metabolism needs or wants.

REAL high-protein foods don’t come with a “high protein” label. They’re just… food.

• Meat
• Chicken
• Fish
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Edamame
• Nuts & seeds

If it has an ingredient list, it’s probably not the kind of protein your body actually needs.

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2. Keto or Low Carb

These terms aren’t regulated—meaning anyone can slap them on a label. And most of the time, “keto” foods are just ultra-processed versions of the same old stuff, now made with things like resistant wheat starch.

Sounds fancy, right? It’s not. While resistant starch does exist, it makes up a tiny portion of starch content—and when reheated, that resistant starch turns right back into glucose-spiking regular starch.

So those “keto tortillas” or “low carb bread”? They’re just carb-y bread in disguise.

Look for real ingredients:

• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• Flaxseed or chia seed meal
• Tiger nut flour
• Lupini flour

If it’s made of that, it’s probably legit. If it’s made of resistant wheat starch… you’re being played. It could be made with both, in which case, put it back on the shelf.

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3. No Sugar Added

This one makes me roll my eyes. “No sugar added” usually means they added fruit juice instead—which is still sugar. It may not be table sugar, but it’s still glucose and fructose, and your body doesn’t care whether it came from a grape or a cane.

“Apple juice concentrate” and “fruit purée” are just sugar dressed up in a fruit costume.

What you actually want to look for are sugar-free items (if needed) that use sweeteners like:

• Allulose
• Monk fruit
• Erythritol

And remember, when you lower insulin levels, the less you crave sweets overall. Win-win.

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4. Whole Grain

Ah, the holy grail of food marketing. “Whole grain” has been marketed to us like it’s the key to health. And while it’s technically better than refined grains, that’s still not saying much.

Whole grain is still starch, and starch is just long chains of glucose. And guess what glucose does? It spikes insulin. And high insulin is at the root of insulin resistance, weight gain, PCOS, and most chronic health issues.

If you’re trying to reverse insulin resistance, it doesn’t matter if it’s whole grain or unicorn grain—it’s still glucose.

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5. Low Fat

This label needs to go. It’s a relic of the 1990s and should’ve stayed there with shoulder pads and Snackwell’s cookies.

Fat doesn’t make you fat—insulin does. And you need fat for:

• Hormones
• Brain health
• Satiety
• Sanity

You know what else has a “low fat” label? Gummy bears.

Don’t be afraid of healthy fats from:

• Nuts and seeds
• Avocados
• Olives
• Coconut milk
• Salmon
• Olive, avocado, or coconut oil

Stop letting “low fat” trick you into thinking it’s healthy.

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Bottom Line:

The food industry loves a catchy label. But most of these buzzwords are there to sell you something—not help your health.

So next time you’re at the store, don’t fall for the front of the label. Flip it over. Read the ingredients. If it sounds like something made in a lab, your body probably doesn’t want it.

Let your food be simple, whole, and insulin-friendly—and leave the marketing fluff behind.

Dairy is one of the most misunderstood food groups when it comes to insulin. Some studies say it’s “metabolically protective.” Others show it spikes insulin like crazy. So what’s the deal?

Let’s break it down. Because the type of dairy matters. A lot.

Remember, the biological purpose of milk is simple: to grow a baby mammal. That means it’s naturally designed to:

• Promote fat storage
• Stimulate cell growth
• Support rapid weight gain
• Build muscle and bone mass

To do this, milk sends a very strong metabolic message: grow.

And that “grow” message is delivered through two key hormones:

• Insulin, which shuttles nutrients into cells and stores fat

• IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1), which stimulates cell division and growth

Here’s the kicker: milk doesn’t just stimulate these hormones—it actually contains them. Milk contains measurable levels of insulin and IGF-1, because those hormones are meant to act directly on the infant consuming it. So when you drink milk, you’re not just triggering your own insulin—you’re absorbing additional insulin and IGF-1 from the milk itself.

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How Milk Spikes Insulin: It’s Not the Lactose

Most people assume milk spikes insulin because of the lactose (milk sugar). But that’s not actually the main issue.

Even unsweetened milk or plain yogurt, with minimal lactose, causes a strong insulin response. That’s because the true insulin spike comes from the proteins in milk—specifically whey and casein.

These proteins are rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—especially leucine, which has a direct and powerful effect on insulin secretion.

BCAAs—leucine, isoleucine, and valine—are amino acids that strongly stimulate the pancreas to release insulin. This effect is most pronounced with leucine, which has been shown to significantly increase insulin levels even in the absence of carbohydrates.

That’s why whey protein spikes insulin so dramatically—it’s extremely high in leucine and other BCAAs. And casein, though slower-digesting, still delivers a decent hit of insulin, especially when unfermented.

So when you consume milk or whey protein powder, you’re not just getting nutrients—you’re getting a powerful insulin and growth signal your body has no choice but to respond to.

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Why Greek Yogurt and Aged Cheese Are Different (and Approved on Lilli)

Not all dairy acts the same in your body. Greek yogurt and aged cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, or gouda are much lower in insulin impact—and here’s why:

1. Whey is completely removed during their processing.
2. Casein is fermented by bacteria, which transforms the BCAAs

That means the most insulin-stimulating part of milk—whey—is gone, and the remaining protein has been metabolically altered in a way that reduces the insulin response.

So while milk and whey protein send a loud “grow and store fat” message, fermented dairy like Greek yogurt or cheese sends a much quieter one—and is far more insulin-friendly.

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How Fermentation Changes BCAAs (and Why That Matters)

During fermentation, beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium release enzymes that begin to break down the casein protein—including its BCAAs.

Here’s what happens:

1. Proteases and peptidases chop the proteins into smaller peptides and individual amino acids.

2. BCAAs like leucine and isoleucine are further metabolized into branched-chain keto acids, such as:

• • α-Ketoisocaproate (KIC) from leucine
  • α-Keto-β-methylvalerate from isoleucine
  • α-Ketoisovalerate from valine

These metabolites are no longer insulin secretagogues—meaning they don’t trigger your pancreas to release insulin the way intact BCAAs do. They’ve been structurally changed and now behave more like metabolic intermediates than growth signals.

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Bottom Line

Milk was made to grow babies—not adults. So if you’re following a Low Insulin Lifestyle, it’s not that all dairy is off limits—it’s that some forms of dairy are metabolically supportive, and others are metabolically disruptive.

And now you know the difference.

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References

Daniel N, et al. Gut microbiota and fermentation-derived branched chain hydroxy acids mediate health benefits of yogurt consumption in obese mice. Nat Commun. 2022. Read more

Ostman EM, et al. Inconsistency between glycemic and insulinemic responses to regular and fermented milk products. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001. Read more

When it comes to metabolic health, most people focus on sugar and carbs—but insulin is the hormone calling the shots. Understanding which foods spike insulin (and why) is key to reversing insulin resistance, burning fat, and supporting hormone balance.

Here’s a breakdown of the most insulin-spiking foods and the science behind each one:

• High Insulin: Starches, sugar, milk, whey protein
• Medium Insulin Spike: Animal protein, fruit
• Low Insulin Spike: Non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy oils

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Starch

Starches are one of the most insulin-spiking food groups, and natural selection over the last 10,000 years has made it worse. Today’s starches are:

• Lower in fiber
• Higher in starch
• Easily gelatinized when cooked

Gelatinization is what happens when starches like potatoes, rice, and pasta are cooked in water—it makes the starch more digestible and absorbable. That means it breaks down faster into pure glucose, and the faster glucose hits the bloodstream, the more insulin your body releases in response.

Even so-called “complex carbs” like whole wheat bread, oats, or brown rice still spike insulin significantly, especially in insulin-resistant individuals. So while unprocessed starches are better than processed, starch is starch.

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Sugar (Natural or Processed)

This one is no surprise: sugar spikes insulin.

Whether it’s:

• Table sugar (sucrose)
• Maple syrup or honey
• Coconut sugar
• Fruit juice
• Medjool dates and dried fruit

…it’s still a rapid delivery of glucose, which requires a strong insulin response to bring your blood sugar back down.

Natural or organic doesn’t change the way it affects your hormones. Insulin doesn’t care where the sugar came from—just that it showed up.

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Milk

Here’s what most people don’t know: milk causes a strong insulin spike—even when it contains no added sugar.

And no, it’s not because of the lactose.

People love to debate whether it’s raw or pasteurized, A1 or A2, cow or goat or sheep. But here’s the truth: none of that really matters. All forms of animal milk—regardless of processing or protein type—spike insulin.

And on top of that? Milk naturally contains both insulin and IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1. These hormones are found inside the milk itself—because the purpose of milk isn’t to nourish an adult, it’s to grow a baby mammal. That means triggering growth, cell division, and fat storage—all of which are controlled by insulin and IGF-1. In other words, milk is a metabolic signal for your body to grow, store energy, and build tissue. That’s great if you’re a newborn. Not so great if you’re trying to reverse insulin resistance or lose fat.

Even unsweetened milk, plain yogurt, or “no sugar added”creamer can trigger a significant insulin response—not because they’re high in sugar, but because milk proteins directly stimulate insulin release, regardless of blood glucose levels.

So yes, that innocent splash of milk in your coffee or your “clean” smoothie with plain yogurt may not spike your glucose—but your insulin is telling a different story.

Bottom line? It’s not the lactose. It’s not the cow. It’s the growth signals—both in the milk, and in the way your body responds to it.

After all, remember that old tagline “Milk helps a body grow?” They weren’t lying.

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Whey and Casein (Milk Proteins)

Among the most insulin-spiking proteins out there. Whey protein, in particular, is notorious for spiking insulin. That’s because it contains the highest concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—especially leucine—which directly stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas. BCAAs are essential amino acids, but they can be overdone and often are.

Casein does this too, although to a slightly lesser extent. These proteins were designed by nature to promote rapid growth, which is why they’re great for newborns… but not so great for people trying to lower insulin.

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Bottom Line

If you’re trying to lower insulin, what you eat matters just as much as how often you eat. And it’s not just about sugar.

The biggest insulin-spiking foods are:

• Starch: easily digested, fiber-stripped, gelatinized, and turned into pure glucose
• Sugar: processed or natural, it’s all insulin-demanding
• Milk: biologically wired to raise insulin and IGF-1
• Whey and Casein: especially whey, packed with insulin-stimulating amino acids

Understanding which foods spike insulin—and why—empowers you to make choices that support hormone balance, fat burning, and long-term metabolic health.

It’s not about fear. It’s about facts—and learning how to work with your metabolism, not against it.

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References

Tucker LA, Erickson A, LeCheminant JD, Bailey BW. Dairy consumption and insulin resistance: the role of body fat, physical activity, and energy intake. J Diabetes Res. 2015. Read more

Melnik BC, et al. Role of insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, hyperglycaemic food and milk consumption in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. Exp Dermatol. 2009. Read more

Salehi A, et al. The insulinogenic effect of whey protein is partially mediated by a direct effect of amino acids and GIP on β-cells. Nutr Metab. 2012. Read more

Krezowski PA, et al. Insulin and glucose responses to various starch-containing foods in type II diabetic subjects. Diabetes Care. 1987. Read more

Gannon MC, et al. Acute metabolic response to high-carbohydrate, high-starch meals compared with moderate-carbohydrate, low-starch meals in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1998. Read more

 

“Boost your metabolism” gets tossed around all the time—usually by people selling pills, powders, teas, or workouts. But let’s get clear: a healthy metabolism isn’t something you hack or stimulate.

It’s something you restore. And it starts with understanding how your body responds to one key hormone: insulin.

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What Your Metabolism Is Supposed to Do

Your metabolism isn’t just about how many calories you burn.
It’s about how efficiently your body:

• Uses fuel from food
• Stores and releases body fat
• Balances blood sugar and insulin
• Switches between burning carbs and burning fat

A healthy metabolism means your body knows what to burn and when. It’s flexible. Responsive. Efficient. Calm.

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What Is Metabolic Flexibility?

Metabolic flexibility means your body can switch between burning glucose (sugar) and fat for energy, depending on what’s available.

• After a meal? You burn glucose.
• Between meals and overnight? You switch to burning fat.

That’s the rhythm. That’s what your metabolism is designed to do. You probably thought everyone’s body could do that, but you’d be wrong.

If your insulin levels are high all the time, that switch never happens. You stay stuck in sugar-burning mode—and fat burning gets shut down.

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What Insulin Should Do

Insulin isn’t bad—it’s essential. But like any hormone, it needs to rise and fall in rhythm.

Here’s what it looks like in a healthy, flexible metabolism:

• Insulin rises after you eat a meal

• Insulin falls back to baseline between meals

• Overnight while you are sleeping and fasting, insulin stays low so your body can burn stored fat and repair tissues

This rise-and-fall pattern is what it means to have a healthy metabolism.

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What Happens When Insulin Stays High?

When your insulin levels are constantly elevated (even mildly), everything shifts:

• Your insulin is always high, even after not eating all night while you are sleeping

• With insulin levels constantly high, your body can’t access stored fat for energy

• Excess insulin leads you to be always hungry, always tired, and always craving carbs

This is metabolic inflexibility.
It’s what most people are living with—without even knowing it.

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How to Restore Metabolic Flexibility

You don’t need to do a juice cleanse or drink a special tea.
You need to lower insulin consistently, so your body can start burning fat again.

That means:

• Eating meals that don’t spike insulin
• Giving your body time between meals to rest and reset
• Avoiding constant snacking and grazing
• Prioritizing protein, fat, and fiber—and minimizing starch and sugar
• Getting good sleep, gentle movement, and managing stress

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Bottom Line

A healthy metabolism is one that knows how to flex between fuel sources—glucose when needed, fat when it’s not. But you can’t burn fat if insulin is high all day.

By eating in a way that lets insulin rise after a meal and return to baseline between meals (and overnight), you give your metabolism the space it needs to do what it was designed to do.

Balanced hormones. Efficient energy. Long-lasting satiety. That’s a healthy metabolism.

If you follow a vegan lifestyle and are ready to lower your insulin levels, you might be wondering if the two can go together.

You can absolutely be 100% plant-based and still follow the Low Insulin Lifestyle. It just takes a little more planning—and a lot more label reading.

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The Vegan Low Insulin Approach

The biggest challenge? Most plant-based protein sources also come with a side of starch—which spikes insulin and works against your goals. So instead of loading up on lentils, oats, or beans, we focus on low-starch, high-protein, healthy-fat plants that nourish your body without overworking your pancreas.

This version of Lilli is:

• 100% animal-free
• Rich in healthy fats
• Packed with plant-based protein
• Centered around vegetables

❌ Free from starch-heavy “vegan staples” like rice, quinoa, oats, and starchy beans

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Best Vegan Protein Sources for a Low Insulin Lifestyle

These options provide clean protein without the starch load:

• Lupini beans – ultra-high in protein, fiber, and very low in carbs

• Hemp seeds – rich in protein and omega-3 fats, great in smoothies, salads, or baked goods

• Hemp seed protein powder – one of the cleanest, lowest-insulin vegan proteins available

• Nuts and nut butter – high in protein and fat, low in carbs (just watch for added sugar)

• Almond or pumpkin seed protein powder – a great option for smoothies or baking

• Unprocessed or minimally processed soy – tofu, tempeh, and edamame can work well if tolerated

These are the protein stars of your vegan Lilli plate.

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❌ Vegan Protein Sources to Limit or Avoid

Some plant proteins look good on paper—but they spike insulin. That’s because starch is basically pure glucose and glucose spikes insulin. These starchy protein sources include:

• Lentils and chickpeas
• Black beans, kidney beans, and most legumes
• Quinoa and brown rice
• Oats and whole wheat
• Pea protein and rice protein powders – highly processed

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Healthy Fats Are Your Best Friend

Fat doesn’t spike insulin—and when you’re eating vegan, fat is what keeps you full, fueled, and balanced. Include healthy fats in every single meal.

Great vegan fat sources:

• Avocados and avocado oil
• Olive oil and olives
• Coconut milk, coconut oil, and coconut butter
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamias
• Seeds: chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp
• Nut and seed butters (check for added sugar!)

Fat supports hormone health, improves absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and helps you stay satisfied between meals—without needing to snack constantly.

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Non-Starchy Vegetables and Fruits: The Foundation

Low-insulin vegan meals are built around non-starchy veggies and whole raw fruits. The more, the better.

Pile your plate with:

• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula, romaine)
• Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage)
• Mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, herbs
• Fruits like citrus, berries, apples, peaches, plums, pears

These provide the fiber, minerals, and antioxidants your metabolism needs—without spiking your insulin.

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How to Build a Vegan Lilli Plate

Here’s the magic combo:

Protein + Fat + Fiber (from non-starchy veggies and fruit)

For example:

• Scrambled tofu with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and avocado
• Stir-fry with tempeh, bok choy, mushrooms, and avocado oil
• Lupini noodles with veggies and marinara sauce
• Tofu lettuce wraps with shredded cabbage, peanut sauce, shredded carrots, and shelled edamame
• Smoothie with banana, almond protein, coconut milk, and a touch of unsweetened cocoa powder

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💡 Bottom Line

Yes, you can be fully vegan and thrive on a Low Insulin Lifestyle. It just means getting a little more creative—and a lot more intentional.

Avoid the temptation to load up on starches and ultra-processed vegan products. You don’t need to trade your values to take care of your metabolism.

You can do both—and Lilli can help you get there.

At some point, fat got cast as the villain of the nutrition world. We were told to fear butter, avoid full-fat anything, and trade real food for spray-can oils and margarine. The result? We got hungrier, more inflamed, more insulin-resistant—and more confused than ever about what our bodies actually need. Our skin dried out. Our hair turned brittle. We lost our energy, our focus, our cycles, and in many cases—our sanity. All because we took out the one thing our bodies were desperately asking for: fat.

So let me say it clearly: I eat a lot of fat. On purpose. Every single day. And I’m thriving because of it.

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What a Typical Day Looks Like for Me

Let me start with saying I don’t believe in “keto.” But one thing keto gets right is the importance of eating enough fat.

• Breakfast? A banana breakfast bread or muffin made with almond flour, packed with nuts, seeds, and coconut.

• Lunch? Sautéed veggies in avocado oil, topped with toasted pecans and grated parmesan. Followed by an almond flour banana brownie.

• Dinner? Salmon, steak, or a hearty soup made with full-fat coconut milk.

• After Dinner Treat: 2 large squares of extra dark chocolate

All in all, I eat around 60–70 grams of fat per day—about 45% of my total calories—and I wouldn’t change a thing. My triglycerides? Low. Cholesterol? Low. Insulin and A1c? Very low. Inflammation markers? Also low. This is what it looks like when fat works for your body, not against it.

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Why Fat Is So Important

Here’s what healthy fats actually do for your body:

• They keep you full and satisfied – Fat slows digestion and makes meals more filling. That means fewer cravings, less snacking, and less blood sugar crashing.
• They don’t spike insulin – Unlike carbs and certain types of protein, fat has almost no effect on insulin. That means your pancreas gets a break, your insulin stays low, and your body can stay in fat-burning mode between meals.
• They make your skin glow and your hair soft – Since eating more fat, my skin is noticeably healthier, and my hair is softer, shinier, and less dry. It’s not magic—it’s just nourishment from the inside out.
• They support hormone health – Your body needs fat to make hormones—especially sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. No fat = hormonal chaos.
• They’re critical for brain health – Your brain is 60% fat. That means every fat-phobic diet is also, well… starving your brain. Healthy fats support memory, mood, and cognition.
• They’re anti-inflammatory – Omega-3s from foods like salmon, walnuts, and flax help calm inflammation in the body—supporting everything from joints to skin to your cardiovascular system.

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But Doesn’t Fat Cause Insulin Resistance?

This is a question I hear all the time. And the answer? It depends on what you’re eating it with.

Adding fat to a starch-rich diet is what causes insulin resistance.
Eating fat with non-starchy vegetables, whole food proteins, and low-glycemic fruits? Does not.

Insulin resistance develops when your bloodstream is flooded with too many free fatty acids and glucose at the same time. It’s a metabolic mess. Those fatty acids interfere with insulin’s ability to do its job, so your body responds by pumping out even more insulin to try to keep up.

This is exactly why the popular advice to “add fat to carbs to flatten the glucose spike” is complete nonsense. Sure, it lowers the glucose spike—but behind the scenes, you’ve just created metabolic chaos.

And yes, some people do “well” on a low-fat, high-carb diet—for a while. As long as fat isn’t floating around with glucose, insulin functions more efficiently. But eventually the body starts to struggle without fat. People get hungry, fatigued, emotionally dysregulated, and hormonally depleted. They crash. Then usually blame themselves for not having enough willpower.

The better plan? Cut the starch. Add the fat back in.
And just like that—you feel better than ever.

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🚫 What Fat Doesn’t Do

• It doesn’t make you fat.
• It doesn’t clog your arteries (the research on that has evolved—dramatically).
• It doesn’t spike your insulin.
• And it doesn’t need to be feared or micromanaged.

Remember, what makes people insulin-resistant isn’t fat—it’s combining fat with sugar and starch.
That’s when the body gets overwhelmed. (Think donuts, fries, pastries, buttered toast… that combo is a metabolic disaster.)

But fat on its own—or fat combined with protein and produce?
That’s your metabolic sweet spot.

If your goal is to:

• Reverse insulin resistance
• Stabilize energy and mood
• Reduce inflammation
• Support hormone balance
• Feel full and satisfied after meals

Then fat is not your enemy—it’s your best friend.

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Bottom Line

If you’ve been scared of fat, it’s time to rewrite that story.
Healthy fats are essential—especially if you’re trying to lower insulin and balance your hormones.

So yes, I eat fat—and I eat a lot of it. I build every meal around it. I prioritize fat more than I do protein. Because I know the truth: fat isn’t the problem—overstimulating insulin is.

So go ahead and enjoy that almond flour muffin, the olive oil drizzle, the toasted pecans, the salmon, the coconut milk, and that square (or two) of dark chocolate. Your body knows what to do with real food.

There’s a lot of buzz around resistant starch these days. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “It’s fine, I cooled the rice so now it’s healthy!” or “Cold potatoes are basically fiber,” then you’ve already met the latest loophole in the carb conversation.

But let’s clear a few things up—because resistant starch isn’t some magical transformation that turns pasta salad into a superfood.

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What Is Resistant Starch?

Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the colon, acting more like fiber than sugar. Because it’s not fully broken down, it doesn’t spike glucose and insulin the way typical starch does.

Types of resistant starch include:

• Raw starches (like raw potato or green banana flour)

• Cooked and cooled starches (like rice, potatoes, and pasta that have been chilled)

Sounds great, right?

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Here’s the Catch: It’s Not Much

The internet makes it sound like chilling your rice or reheating leftover pasta makes your meal magically blood sugar-friendly. But the actual research says otherwise.

Only about 5% of the starch in cooked-and-cooled foods becomes resistant. That means 95% of it is still regular, digestible starch—aka the kind that spikes insulin and glucose just like fresh-out-of-the-oven sourdough bread.

Worse yet? If you reheat the food, most of that resistant starch reverts right back to regular starch.

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❌ What Resistant Starch Is Not:

• It’s not a reason to eat rice or potatoes with abandon.

• It’s not an excuse to eat starch at every meal because you let it cool first.

• It’s not an excuse to eat processed keto foods full of resistant wheat starch.

• It’s not the same as fiber in leafy greens, fruits, avocados, nuts, or seeds.

• And it’s definitely not going to undo the effects of high insulin if you’re already insulin resistant.

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Let’s Talk Labels: “Low Carb” Isn’t Regulated

Terms like “low carb,” “keto-friendly,” and “resistant starch” aren’t regulated. Anyone can slap those labels on a product or recipe—even if it still spikes your insulin through the roof.

That’s why it’s so important to understand what’s actually happening in your body—not just what’s happening in your food’s temperature.

For people with insulin resistance, prediabetes, PCOS, or metabolic issues, your goal isn’t just to flatten glucose—it’s to lower insulin. And starch—even cooled starch—still asks your pancreas to work harder.

Yes, resistant starch may have some benefits for the gut microbiome in small amounts. But that doesn’t mean you should be eating cold rice and potatoes every day and calling it therapeutic. For many people, that’s just keeping insulin levels elevated and fat burning turned off.

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So What Should You Eat Instead?

Stick with foods that are naturally low in insulin demand:

• Non-starchy vegetables

• Fruits

• Healthy fats

• Protein from whole food sources

• Fiber from nuts, seeds, and greens

These nourish your gut, stabilize your blood sugar, and actually help your metabolism heal—without having to get crafty with potato salad leftovers.

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Bottom Line

Yes, resistant starch is a real thing. But no, it’s not a free pass to load up on rice, potatoes, or pasta and pretend you’re eating fiber. If you’re going to have a starch, sure—you might get a tiny benefit from cooling it first. But don’t kid yourself into thinking it transforms the food into something metabolically neutral. At the end of the day, treat starches like treats, and enjoy them in a way that actually feels satisfying. Because let’s be honest—no one’s really excited about cold rice.

Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) have exploded in popularity lately. You’ve probably seen influencers slapping one on their arm, posting screenshots of their “perfectly flat glucose line,” and claiming metabolic mastery because their curve didn’t spike after eating a potato covered in cheese and butter.

But let’s pause for a reality check.

Because while CGMs can be an amazing tool for insight, they’re only telling a small part of the story—and in some cases, they’re giving people a false sense of metabolic security.

So let’s break down what your CGM can tell you, what it can’t, and why that pretty little glucose curve doesn’t always mean your metabolism is as happy as it looks.

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✅ What Your CGM Does Tell You

A CGM measures your glucose levels throughout the day. That gives you a continuous picture of:

• Glucose spikes after meals
• How quickly your glucose rises and falls
• How stable your glucose is overnight and between meals
• Whether you’re having blood glucose crashes (reactive hypoglycemia)
• How exercise, sleep, and stress affect your glucose

These are super helpful insights—especially if you’re prediabetic, diabetic, or trying to understand why you crash after certain meals. But see where I didn’t mention insulin? Because it doesn’t measure insulin, it only measures glucose.

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❌ What Your CGM Doesn’t Tell You

Here’s the kicker: your CGM doesn’t tell you anything about your insulin.

And insulin is the real master of metabolic health.

You can have a perfectly “flat” CGM glucose curve and still have complete metabolic chaos happening behind the scenes—because your body could be pumping out tons of insulin to keep that glucose looking pretty.

So while your CGM graph might earn you a high five on Instagram, your pancreas might be quietly panicking.

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🚨 Myth-Busting Social Media Hacks

Let’s talk about a few CGM-friendly “hacks” that look good on paper—but aren’t helping you metabolically:

1. Fat + Starch or Sugar = Insulin Bomb (Not a Hack)

You’ve probably heard that adding fat to carbs “flattens the glucose curve.” That’s technically true—but only because insulin spiked harder and faster to keep glucose down.
Sure, fat slows gastric emptying, so the glucose enters the bloodstream more slowly—but when combined with starch or sugar, the insulin response can be even more exaggerated.

2. Protein + Starch or Sugar = Delayed (Not Denied) Spike

Pairing protein with carbs slows digestion, which delays the glucose spike. But the glucose still enters the bloodstream—and so does the insulin.
The problem? Now you’ve stretched that insulin response over several hours.
Instead of glucose and insulin rising and falling cleanly within 2 hours, you’ve created a slow, prolonged elevation—the exact thing we’re trying to avoid.

What you want: a short, controlled insulin spike that returns to baseline within 2 hours, which is what happens when you eat primarily nonstarchy vegetables and whole fruits, whole proteins, and healthy fats.
What you get with protein + starch or sugar: glucose and insulin lingering in your system much longer than they should.

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So What Should You Do?

It’s time to stop trying to “hack” the CGM output graph—and start actually supporting your metabolism.

Do: Protein + Fat + Produce

This combo fuels you without overstimulating insulin. Think eggs, avocado, and apples. Salmon, citrus, and sautéed greens. Chicken, cherries, and Chinese cabbage.

Don’t: Starch + Sugar

Even the “healthy” ones. Brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, corn, fruit juice—they’re all going to spike insulin, even if the CGM doesn’t show a big glucose peak (especially if you paired it with fat or protein).

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What Does the Research Say?

Sadly, for decades, the primary goal in managing blood sugar was simple: increase insulin secretion. As long as glucose looked good on paper, no one asked what it took to get there.

But we now know better. Now we know that frequent insulin spikes don’t “fix” metabolic dysfunction—they drive it. Over time, repeated insulin surges lead to downregulated insulin receptors, meaning your cells stop responding to insulin properly. The result? Your body pumps out even more insulin to compensate, and the cycle continues.

This is exactly how insulin resistance begins—and progresses.

Yet despite this, plenty of articles and influencers still push the idea that “adding fat and protein to starch” is a great strategy because it flattens the glucose spike. And yes—it might make your CGM graph look prettier. It might seem like better glucose “management.” But here’s the truth: it often results in an even bigger insulin response.

So don’t let the flat curve fool you. And don’t let outdated nutrition advice confuse you.

The goal is not to just manipulate glucose.
The goal is improve metabolic health—and that means lowering insulin, not ramping it up.

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💡 The Bottom Line

Your CGM is a helpful tool—but it’s not the full picture. It’s not even half the picture.
It shows you glucose. That’s it. It tells you nothing about insulin and the metabolic mayhem happening in the background.

So if you’re celebrating a perfectly beautiful graph after a high-fat, high-carb snack, ask yourself: What did my pancreas have to do to make that line look pretty?

Don’t be fooled by your GGM, or by influencers for that matter. Be focused on metabolic calm. The goal isn’t just to control glucose—it’s to lower insulin, reduce inflammation, and build a body that runs on fat between meals, not sugar snacks and insulin spikes.

So go ahead and use your CGM—just don’t worship it. And please… stop calling cheese-stuffed breadsticks a “blood sugar hack.”

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References

Nesti L, et al. Impact of Nutrient Type and Sequence on Glucose Tolerance: Physiological Insights and Therapeutic Implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019. Read more

Frid AH, et al. Effect of whey on blood glucose and insulin responses to composite breakfast and lunch meals in type 2 diabetic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005. Read more

Manders RJ, et al. Protein co-ingestion strongly increases postprandial insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes patients. J Med Food. 2014. Read more

Ever feel shaky, dizzy, weak, anxious, or suddenly starving a few hours after eating—especially after a carb-heavy meal or snack?

That’s not “just in your head.” It could be Reactive Hypoglycemia (RH)—a condition where your blood sugar drops too low after eating, especially 2 to 4 hours after a meal.

And if that’s happening to you regularly, you’re not alone. RH is incredibly common, and yet rarely talked about or properly addressed. Even worse, most people are given the wrong advice—like “just eat more carbs” or “snack every 2 hours.” But that only treats the symptom, not the cause.

Let’s dig into what’s really going on—and how to fix it by working with your metabolism, not against it.

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What Is Reactive Hypoglycemia?

Reactive hypoglycemia happens when your blood glucose drops below normal levels after eating—usually because your body released too much insulin in response to the food you ate.

Insulin’s job is to bring your blood sugar back down after a meal. But in RH, the pancreas overshoots—it releases more insulin than needed, dropping your blood sugar too far and too fast. That’s when you get the symptoms:

• Shakiness
• Irritability
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Anxiety or heart racing
• Cravings for sugar or more food

It’s a blood sugar rollercoaster—and your body is just trying to feel normal again.

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Why Does It Happen?

Reactive hypoglycemia usually starts because your pancreas is hypersensitive. It sees carbs (especially sugar or starch), freaks out, and floods your bloodstream with insulin to bring glucose down—but it overshoots the target.

And that insulin spike causes your blood sugar to drop too low.

This is often seen in:

• People with very sensitive or overactive pancreatic responses
• Early-stage insulin resistance
• People recovering from long periods of high carb intake
• Individuals with PCOS, post-gestational diabetes, or metabolic instability

Interestingly, RH isn’t usually seen in full-blown insulin resistance—because in insulin resistance, insulin doesn’t work well or act fast enough to drop glucose quickly.
But in some cases of fluctuating insulin sensitivity, especially early on, both can exist at the same time: insulin resistance and reactive lows.

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Why the Common Advice Doesn’t Work

Most people are told:

• “Just eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.”
• “Make sure you’re eating enough carbs.”
• “Carry snacks everywhere.”

That might give temporary relief, but it keeps the cycle going. Every time you eat starch and sugar, you’re asking your pancreas to work harder. More insulin, more crashes, more snacks.

You’re treating the drop by fueling the spike.

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The Real Answer: Give Your Pancreas a Break

Instead of constantly asking your pancreas to pump out more insulin, reduce how often you stimulate it in the first place. That means: Eating meals that don’t spike insulin.

And yes, you’ve probably heard the advice to “put clothes on your carbs”—meaning add fat or protein to sugar or starch to flatten the glucose spike. But here’s the part that gets left out: the reason the glucose curve looks flatter on your CGM is that your pancreas released a bigger insulin spike to compensate. It’s not that the meal was magically less impactful—it’s that your body worked harder to clean up the mess.

So while the glucose numbers might look smoother, your insulin is surging behind the scenes. For someone dealing with reactive hypoglycemia, that means more insulin, more crashes, and more metabolic stress. Long term, that’s not helping your body heal—it’s just disguising the problem.

The goal isn’t to soften the crash with more insulin. It’s to stop triggering the crash in the first place.

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Why Fat Is Your Friend

Here’s the key: fat does not stimulate insulin. Your pancreas barely responds to dietary fat—unless it’s paired with starch or sugar, which is a different story (hello, insulin explosion).

If you’re dealing with RH, you want meals that:

• Keep you full
• Don’t trigger excess insulin

That means meals built around:

• Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butter, coconut oil, unsweetened shredded coconut
• Protein: eggs, poultry, fish, grass-fed meat, plant-based non-starchy sources (edamame and lupini beans)
• Non-starchy vegetables and whole fruits: greens, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, berries, citrus

Avoid combining fat + starch (think: buttered toast, fries, pastries) because that combo leads to the strongest insulin spike—and sets the stage for a major crash later. You also want to avoid whey protein or anything that contains whey protein because it is the most insulin-spiking food you can eat.

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Train Your Body to Burn Fat for Fuel

When you stop feeding constant glucose swings, your body learns to use stored fat for energy—a much more stable and efficient fuel source. This reduces blood sugar crashes and keeps your energy steady between meals.

You’ll know your body is adjusting when:

• You can go 4–6 hours between meals without crashing
• You feel full and calm after meals
• You no longer panic without snacks
• Your energy feels stable, not spiky

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How to Start Stabilizing RH Naturally

Build meals around protein + fat + fiber: Start each meal with healthy fats, some protein, and low-carb vegetables and fruits.

Space out your meals: Once stable, give your pancreas rest between meals. This is what allows insulin to reset and your body to switch into fat-burning mode.

Get tested if needed: A 2-hour insulin test (also known as an oral glucose tolerance test with insulin) can confirm whether your insulin is overshooting.

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Bottom Line: RH Is More Than Just “Low Blood Sugar”

Reactive hypoglycemia is a signal that your metabolism is struggling to self-regulate. It’s not a call for more sugary or starchy snacks—it’s a sign to reduce how often your pancreas is forced to respond.

The goal isn’t to chase blood sugar with more sugar. The goal is to create a stable, fat-burning metabolism that no longer relies on constant glucose to survive.

And that starts with less stimulation, not more. Eat in a way that keeps your pancreas quiet and your blood sugar—and your life—will get a lot more stable.

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References

Lv X, et al. Identification of Reactive Hypoglycemia with Different Basic BMI and Its Causes by Prolonged Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2020. Read more

We love to obsess over long-lived cultures.
Every wellness article, Netflix doc, and influencer seems to be talking about Blue Zones—those magical places in the world where people supposedly live forever while sipping bone broth and eating purple sweet potatoes.

And don’t get me wrong—there’s some value in looking at lifestyle patterns. But can we all take a deep breath and talk about something no one seems to be saying out loud?

It’s not the sweet potatoes.
It’s not the seaweed.
It’s not the Tai Chi.

It’s their genetics.

And more importantly—when it comes to aging and longevity, the three biggest players are:

• Insulin
• IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1)
• mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin, a key growth pathway)

These three control how fast you age, how often your cells repair (or don’t), and how much wear and tear your body accumulates over time. The longer these systems stay calm and balanced, the slower you age.

So instead of obsessing over what these long-lived cultures eat (or don’t)… let’s talk about what IGF-1 and mTOR actually do.

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What Are IGF-1 and mTOR?

IGF-1 is a hormone that helps your body grow and repair. It’s stimulated by insulin and protein intake, especially animal protein and dairy. While it’s great for building and healing, chronically high IGF-1 levels are linked to cancer, cysts, and accelerated aging. It’s not about avoiding it completely—just keeping it in check.

mTOR is a potent growth pathway that tells your cells to build, divide, and multiply. It’s triggered by insulin, excess calories, and BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids found in high amounts in animal protein and dairy). Even if you’re trying to build muscle, you don’t want mTOR turned on all the time. You want it activated strategically—like during recovery or after a workout. But when it’s constantly switched on, day in and day out—especially from things like drinking whey protein shakes or overloading on high-BCAA foods—that’s when aging accelerates and your risk for disease starts climbing. More mTOR activation isn’t better. It’s about timing and balance.

You want IGF-1 to be high during infancy and puberty—those are your major growth phases. After that, levels should naturally decline through adulthood to support repair over growth. Then, in older age, a slight increase can actually help preserve muscle mass and strength. It’s all about the right amount at the right time.

Bottom line: For young and middle-aged adults, we need IGF-1 and mTOR—but not all day, every day. The key to longevity is knowing how to cycle between growth and repair—not being stuck in growth mode forever.

And that’s exactly what makes some of the world’s longest-living populations so interesting.

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Let’s Start with Japan

The Japanese population has some of the lowest insulin secretion capacity in the world. Their pancreas simply cannot pump out insulin like ours does—and it literally can’t keep up with their starch-heavy diets.

This is a genetic trait, and it’s also why type 2 diabetes hits them fast and hard. When your body doesn’t make enough insulin, your blood sugar rises. And since insulin is your fat storage hormone, people with low insulin levels tend to be thin. That’s why being “skinny and diabetic” is actually very common in East Asian countries. Yes, you can be thin and still have type 2 diabetes if your pancreas can’t keep up with the demands of a high-starch diet.

But guess what else comes with having naturally low insulin?

• Lower IGF-1 levels (which is also why they tend to be shorter in stature)
• Less activation of mTOR (the pathway tied to cellular growth and aging)
• Slower cellular aging (aka why they often have that glowing, ageless skin)

So no, it’s not the purple potatoes. It’s not the rice. It’s not magic. It’s their genetics.

So yes, they age slower—not because they eat seaweed, but because their hormonal pathways for growth and aging are naturally downregulated.

You’re not going to magically become long-lived by copying someone else’s rice-heavy meal plan if your genetics and metabolism are totally different.

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The Loma Linda Vegan Factor

Then we look at another popular Blue Zone: Loma Linda, California—known for plant-based diets, long lifespans, and regular fasting.

People love to point out that these folks are mostly vegetarian or vegan, and that cutting out animal protein must be the key to longevity.

But let’s break this down.

It’s not just about plants. It’s about protein type and its effect on insulin and growth pathways:

• Animal proteins, especially dairy, are high in BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids).
• BCAAs stimulate insulin, IGF-1, and mTOR—aka the growth and aging pathways.
• These are helpful during development (think babies and puberty)… but staying in “grow” mode forever? Not ideal for longevity.

That doesn’t mean you need to go full vegan. You just need to balance your intake:

• Mix animal and plant proteins
• Prioritize non-starchy plant proteins (like nuts, seeds, hemp, edamame, and lupini beans)
• Skip the whey and casein protein powders—those are designed to grow a baby calf, not adults

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What About Laron’s Syndrome?

If you really want to understand longevity, look at people with Laron’s Syndrome—a rare genetic condition where the body doesn’t produce IGF-1.

These individuals have near-zero cancer rates. They also tend to live long lives. And it’s not because they follow a plant-based, organic, gluten-free, or adaptogenic diet. It’s because they have genetically low IGF-1 levels, which protects their cells from overgrowth and mutation.

And guess what? Individuals with Laron syndrome DNA are primarily found in the Mediterranean, parts of Asia, and Jewish ancestry—some of the exact same regions and ancestry highlighted in Blue Zone research. The largest studied population with Laron syndrome is in Ecuador, but the mutation has also been identified in populations from the Mediterranean. So before we rush to copy their diets, it’s worth asking: how much of their health and longevity is about lifestyle—and how much is baked into their DNA?

It’s the same principle: less insulin, less IGF-1, less mTOR… less aging.

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So Can We Chill on the Blue Zones Hype?

The problem with the Blue Zone obsession is that it turns into a weird nutritional cosplay. People try to mimic Okinawan breakfasts or go vegan for longevity without ever asking the most important question:

Do I have the same metabolism or genetics as these people?

If your ancestors were storing fat through long winters and surviving famine, your insulin response is probably very different from someone whose ancestors lived on fish and rice. You can’t override your metabolic history by eating purple sweet potatoes three times a day.

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Eat for YOUR Metabolism, Not Theirs

Here’s the bottom line:

• People in long-lived cultures tend to have lower insulin secretion and lower IGF-1 levels—either genetically or due to lifestyle habits.
• They don’t snack all day, they’re not guzzling protein shakes, and they aren’t constantly triggering growth hormones.
• You don’t need to eat exactly like them—but you do need to understand what actually drives aging: chronically elevated insulin, IGF-1, and mTOR.

So instead of trying to become someone else’s version of “healthy,” ask:

• How can I eat in a way that works with my metabolism?
• How can I keep insulin and growth pathways in check?
• How can I build meals that support repair, but not constant growth?

Because longevity isn’t about copying someone else’s diet. It’s about understanding how someone with your metabolism ages—and working with it, not against it. In the end, if you want to live longer, it starts with lowering your insulin levels.

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References

Vitale G, et al. Low circulating IGF-I bioactivity is associated with human longevity: findings in centenarians’ offspring. Aging (Albany NY). 2012. Read more

Perice L, et al. Lower circulating insulin-like growth factor-I is associated with better cognition in females with exceptional longevity without compromise to muscle mass and function. Aging (Albany NY). 2016. Read more

Milman S, et al. Low insulin-like growth factor-1 level predicts survival in humans with exceptional longevity. Aging Cell. 2014. Read more

Romo Ventura E, et al. Association of dietary intake of milk and dairy products with blood concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in Bavarian adults. Eur J Nutr. 2020. Read more

Michaëlsson K, et al. Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies. BMJ. 2014. Read more

Laron Syndrome. Read more