Insulin Resistance
For years, insulin resistance produces no obvious diagnosis. Standard glucose can read ‘normal’ while insulin quietly climbs. Dr. Gaucher tests insulin directly.
What insulin resistance is — and why it stays hidden
Insulin resistance is the state where your cells stop responding efficiently to insulin, so the body makes more and more of it to keep blood sugar in range. By the time blood sugar finally rises, the process has often been underway for a decade. Testing insulin levels catches the problem much earlier, making treatment more effective.
It sits underneath weight that won't move, afternoon energy crashes, mood fluctuations, sugar and carb cravings, and — importantly for women — it's implicated in PMOS / PCOS.
What Dr. Gaucher investigates
- Fasting insulin and HbA1c — not just fasting glucose, which misses early insulin resistance
- HOMA-IR — the calculated insulin-resistance index, to quantify where you actually are
- Lipid patterns — an imbalance in lipid markers can point to metabolic dysfunction
- Androgens and cycle markers if PMOS / PCOS is suspected
- Thyroid and cortisol, both of which influence how the body handles blood sugar
- Continuous glucose monitoring — a valuable tool to see individual blood-sugar fluctuations, offering data in real time
Treatment approach
Treatment targets insulin sensitivity directly: a nutrition strategy built around blood-sugar stability rather than blanket restrictions; individualized exercise and movement strategies; targeted nutrients and botanicals; and sleep and stress work, since both raise blood sugar independently of diet. The plan is built from your labs, then re-tested.
Connected conditions
Insulin resistance commonly travels with:
Common questions
Can a naturopath help with insulin resistance in Victoria, BC?
Yes. Dr. Gaucher tests insulin directly with fasting insulin, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, then builds a targeted nutrition, movement, and supplement plan to restore insulin sensitivity.
What tests show insulin resistance?
Fasting insulin, HbA1c, and the calculated HOMA-IR index reveal insulin resistance early, often before fasting glucose becomes abnormal.
Can insulin resistance be reversed naturally?
It is highly responsive to nutrition, movement, sleep, and targeted supplementation. Many patients meaningfully improve or normalize their markers with a consistent, individualized plan.