Dr Ula: Insulin, the first domino in heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
- Dr Ula Heywood
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
The invisible hand behind health.
We talk about cholesterol. We talk about blood sugar.
But the quiet architect behind them both? That’s insulin.
This small, unassuming hormone does more than help sugar into your cells. It is the master switch for energy storage, fat gain, hunger, inflammation, and even how your blood vessels age.
When it’s in balance, insulin keeps you fuelled and functioning.
When it stays high for too long, it rewires your metabolism — laying the foundations for chronic disease.
The first domino in metabolic decline
Long before a blood test shows “pre-diabetes,” insulin is already climbing.
Cells become numb to its message — a state known as insulin resistance — often driven by a diet heavy in refined carbs, chronic stress, poor sleep, and too little movement. The pancreas works harder, pumping out more insulin to keep blood sugar in check.
This can carry on silently for a decade or more, all the while reshaping your health from the inside out.
Insulin’s fingerprints are everywhere
Heart disease – Over half of all cases are linked to insulin resistance, which stiffens arteries, raises blood pressure, and fuels inflammation.
Type 2 diabetes – In around 90% of cases, insulin resistance is the core problem, often present for years before diagnosis.
Dementia – Up to 70% of Alzheimer’s patients show signs of insulin resistance in the brain.
Cancer – High insulin encourages cell growth and survival, contributing to 20–30% of some cancers.
Obesity – More than 80% of people living with obesity have insulin resistance locking fat in storage mode.
Why it’s so often missed
Standard health checks rarely include fasting insulin. Doctors focus on glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure — but these are late-stage markers.
It’s like inspecting the roof for leaks while a slow electrical fire smoulders in the walls. By the time the damage is obvious, it’s much harder to fix.
The early signs you might overlook
Insulin resistance doesn’t usually start with dramatic symptoms. Instead, you might notice:
Fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix
Weight gain, especially around the waist
Afternoon energy crashes
Constant hunger or cravings
Brain fog
Gradually rising blood pressure
Skin tags or darkened skin around the neck or armpits
These clues can appear years before blood sugar becomes abnormal.
What keeps insulin high
Diets built on refined carbs and sugar
Constant grazing between meals
Poor sleep
Chronic stress
Too little movement or muscle use
These aren’t just lifestyle choices — they’re environmental pressures that keep your insulin switch stuck in the “on” position.
Bringing insulin back into balance
Test, don’t guess – get your fasting insulin checked regularly
Change your fuel – favour whole foods and protein with carbs
Space your meals – give your body time between eating
Move with intent – build muscle and use it daily
Prioritise sleep – treat it as a non-negotiable health tool
Manage stress – lower cortisol to lower insulin
The payoff
Lowering insulin shifts your body out of constant fat-storage mode. Energy improves. Blood pressure drops. Inflammation cools. Your risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and cancer falls — not just in theory, but in your lived reality.
From hidden threat to health’s keystone
Insulin is essential for life, but in the wrong environment, it quietly drives some of our most feared diseases.
We’ve built a culture and food system that keeps it permanently elevated — and a healthcare system that rarely measures it. We’re chasing symptoms, not the cause.
It’s time to change that.
Test it. Understand it. Act on it.
The earlier you catch high insulin, the more control you have over how your health story ends.
Join our Early Wins program at Autonomy. We’ll reveal your hidden insulin picture and give you a plan to change it.
Dr. Ula Co-Founder and Lead Physician, Autonomy
