The Best Diet for Insulin Resistance: What Doctors Recommend

Your body makes GLP-1—a gut hormone involved in appetite, insulin release, and digestion. How do food, the gut microbiome, and daily habits interact with this signaling system? In Part 3 of our weight-loss series, Dr. Jennifer Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello explore your body’s own GLP-1, how medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy work, and the foundations of sustainable weight management. In this episode, we discuss: • Naturally produced GLP-1 and how it differs from GLP-1 medications • The relationship between gut microbes, appetite, and metabolic health • Akkermansia, fiber, and microbial metabolites such as butyrate • Bitter foods, green tea, and nutrients discussed for appetite support • Protein, strength training, and preserving muscle during weight loss • Body composition and monitoring beyond the number on the scale • Planning with your prescriber if you’re considering stopping GLP-1 medication • Eating patterns, mindset, and your relationship with food Nutrition and lifestyle remain important whether you use medication or not. Supporting your body’s appetite signals is not equivalent to the effects of GLP-1 medications, and medication changes should be individualized with your prescriber.

Struggling to lose weight despite changing your diet and staying active? Insulin resistance, hormonal changes, inflammation, and other health factors may deserve a closer look. In Part 2 of our three-part weight-loss series, Dr. Jennifer Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello discuss the physiology behind weight-loss resistance, including a patient case involving perimenopause.In this episode, we explore: • Insulin resistance and why a normal A1C may not tell the whole story • Inflammation and the role of testing such as C-reactive protein • Perimenopause, estrogen changes, and weight management • Leptin, GLP-1, and the signals involved in hunger and fullness • The gut microbiome and its relationship with metabolism • Thyroid function, mitochondrial health, and nutrient status • Meal sequencing, fiber, eating patterns, sleep, and stress • When individualized assessment and testing may be useful Learn how these factors fit together and what to discuss with your healthcare professional when progress has stalled.

Why does losing weight feel so difficult—even when you’re trying to eat better? Your food environment, daily stress, sleep patterns, and habits can all influence appetite and metabolic health. In Part 1 of our three-part weight-loss series, Dr. Jennifer Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello explore how modern life can make weight management harder—and practical ways to start changing that. In this episode, we discuss: • Environmental exposures, including BPA and PFAS, and their potential effects on metabolic health • Ultra-processed foods, food engineering, and why some foods are easy to overeat • Stress, cortisol, and disrupted daily rhythms • Nighttime snacking, food cues, and the role of daily routines • Whole foods, bitter greens, green tea, and fermented foods • Setting up your home and schedule to make healthy choices easier Weight management involves biology, behavior, and the environment around you. Understanding those influences can help you build a more sustainable approach.

Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) but still feeling exhausted, foggy, or frustrated with weight changes? Hormones may be only part of the picture. Dr. Jennifer Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello break down what HRT can help with—from hot flashes and night sweats to sleep, vaginal health, and bone protection—and why some symptoms need a broader approach. In this episode, we explore: • Persistent fatigue, brain fog, and disrupted sleep • Inflammation, gut health, and the microbiome • Insulin resistance, metabolic changes, and why HRT isn’t a weight-loss treatment • Stress, burnout, and feeling depleted entering menopause • Joint discomfort and changes in alcohol tolerance • The emotional shifts of menopause, including identity, creativity, and finding new meaning If your hormones are “optimized” but you still don’t feel like yourself, there’s more to explore. Join us for a candid conversation about looking beyond hormones to support your health through menopause. Learn more at thenaturaldoctors.org and follow @naturaldoctors. For educational purposes only; not a substitute for individualized medical advice.

What actually happens inside your body when you stop eating? In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Stagg and Dr. Katie DiNello break down the science of intermittent fasting, autophagy, and metabolic flexibility—and what fasting may mean for insulin sensitivity, weight, energy, and healthy aging. We cover 12-hour and 16:8 fasting, longer fasts, fasting-mimicking diets, coffee and fasting, exercise, fasting for women, and who should avoid fasting. Is fasting worth the hype? Listen in as we separate the science from the trends. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes or beginning a fasting program, particularly if you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of an eating disorder.