We hear so much talk about hormones at midlife – oestrogen, progesterone, thyroid, and cortisol.
But there’s one hormone that quietly affects all of them… and it’s not really mentioned.
Insulin.
It’s not just a drug for diabetics – it’s the air traffic controller for your energy.
It decides what your body does with food: burn it for energy, or store it for later.
When insulin levels are low, you feel steady with good energy, a clear head, and stable weight.
When it’s too high, everything starts to feel harder.
You get:
Tired all the time
Cravings for sweet or salty snacks
That stubborn fat around your middle that won’t shift
Ben Bikman, a researcher I really rate, calls insulin the body’s master metabolic hormone.
And honestly he’s right – when insulin goes off track, so does just about everything else.
The tricky bit? By the time your blood sugar levels are raised, insulin will have been struggling for years.
It’s better to catch it early and your body may well be giving you clues right now – things like:
Small skin tags around the neck or underarms
Dark, velvety patches of skin at the back of your neck
Being tired all the time
Brain Fog
These are little whispers from your body that your cells aren’t able to use insulin effectively.
The good news? You can turn this around – and it doesn’t take a major overhaul.
What pushes insulin up?
It’s not just sugar – it’s the constant rollercoaster of modern life:
- Refined carbs and processed foods (think “bags and boxes with barcodes”).
- Snacking between meals – even “healthy” snacks will trigger insulin.
- Poor sleep and stress — they both make cortisol spike, which not only makes sugar in the body it also makes your cells ignore insulin.
- Less muscle and movement — means your body doesn’t use fuel properly.
- Hormone changes – shifts in oestrogen and progesterone make us more sensitive to changes in insulin levels.
Sound familiar? You’re definitely not alone.
What can you do to bring insulin down
I know, I sound like a stuck record but honestly this is what you need to do! Even small changes can make a hbig difference:
- Protein at every meal (especially breakfast) – it helps balance blood sugar and keeps you fuller for longer.
- Whole carbs – go for foods that look like they did in nature, particularly the ones that grow above ground rather than below and definitely not the ones from bags and boxes with barcodes!.
- Leave space between meals – let your body use the fuel it already has. 3-5 hours depending on you, everyone is different.
- Move after you eat – even a 10-minute walk helps lower insulin.
- Rest and sleep are super important – it gives everything time to recover, particularly hormones.
You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with one small thing and build from there.
Over time you’ll notice the difference – fewer crashes, more energy, more “you” again.
Think of insulin like an air traffic controller: when it’s calm things are moving more freely which means you have energy to do other things. When it’s constantly shouting “store, store, store”, everything slows down.
