Spotting Insulin Resistance Without Lab Tests

Try these "tests" to know whether you have any insulin problems. The body often signals insulin trouble years before blood tests confirm it.

UPDATED: July 22nd, 2025

Welcome to the Healthy Aging Newsletter, a free publication translating trustworthy medical research into simple habits to age well, free of chronic disease. I’m Dr. Ashori, a family medicine doctor turned health coach. 

As a physician I rely heavily on advanced testing to confirm my clinical hypothesis. But before I put my patients through the pain and expense of any tests, we go with high-probability observations when considering a condition, such as insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance isn’t just about developing type 2 diabetes in the future, it also affects tissue healing, inflammation, cancer and dementia risk, and heart and liver disease.

1. The Mirror Check

It’s important to me to help my patients develop a comfort of looking at themselves naked in the mirror. It’s much harder than you think. But it’s very revealing when done without judgement and love and respect for the physical being staring back at us.

• Belly larger than hips

• Waist (measured at belly button) to height ratio > 0.5

• BMI > 30

• Dark velvety patches around the neck, armpits, and/or thighs

• Clusters of skin tags in the same areas

• Thinning hair at the crown in women

• Extra facial hair in women, especially the chin

• Puffy face or ankle swelling that eases up overnight

• Not being able to see some muscle definition in the extremities

2. How You Feel Day to Day

• Heavy sleepiness after meals, especially heavy meals

• Brain fog after carb-heavy meals

• Strong craving for high-sugar content foods

• Sudden energy bursts followed by crashes

• Tough time recovering after moderate exercise

• Poor stamina with mild or moderate activities

4. Dietary Pattern Clues

• Calorie dense foods at every meal (cheese, ketchup, chips, mayo, sweet sauces)

• Daily sugar-sweetened beverages

• Daily moderate sugar consumption

• 2-3 alcoholic beverages daily

• Frequent ultraprocessed food consumption (packaged snacks, white bread, noodles)

• Low vegetable or lean protein intake

• Heavy salt intake with most meals

5. Lifestyle Clues

• Highly sedentary life with minimal activity levels in the week

• Sleeping < 6 hours per night

• Poor sleep quality without feeling rested most days

• High stress without adequate stress relief or coping

• Busy life with very little downtime

Simple Daily Interventions to Reverse Insulin Resistance

The good news is that the body is dead-set on reversing insulin resistance and it knows how to do it. It takes a hefty effort on our part but if given the opportunity, your body knows what to do.

1. Start with 30 minute daily walks

2. Attempt some resistance work daily, feelings leg and arms muscles contract

3. Build meals around lean proteins and healthy fats and unprocessed carbs

4. Cut sugary and ultraprocessed packaged foods as much as possible

5. Spend more time listening to music, socializing with friends, reading

6. Switch from soda to carbonated water

7. Sneak out a little sauce from your meals whenever possible

8. Eat out at places where you know you can get some lean options

Confirming Insulin Resistance

If you suspect insulin resistance, here are the top ways of testing for it:

• HOMA-IR score

• Tg/HDL-C ratio

• Glucometer test after a carb-heavy meal

• 1-hr Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGT)

• METS IR

• DEXA scan for body composition

• CGM

• Handheld Glucometer

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Check my 5 most important blood tests to consider for Healthy Aging: