What Is Insulin And Why Does It Matter?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate your blood sugar levels. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which enters the bloodstream. Insulin acts like a key, allowing glucose to move from the bloodstream into your cells for energy.

But when your body produces too much insulin over time, often due to frequent spikes in blood sugar from processed foods and high-sugar diets, your cells can become resistant to it. This is called insulin resistance, and it’s the root cause of pre-diabetes, which often progresses to type 2 diabetes if left unchecked.

Why Insulin Goes High or Low

High insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia) often result from:

Diets high in added sugar and refined carbohydrates
Chronic stress, which increases cortisol and blood sugar
Lack of physical activity
Poor sleep habits

Over time, the pancreas works overtime to produce more insulin in response to these glucose spikes. Eventually, it can no longer keep up and that’s when blood sugar levels start to climb unchecked.

On the flip side, low insulin can occur in those with advanced type 1 or type 2 diabetes where the pancreas becomes too damaged to produce enough insulin. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of being used by the body, a dangerous situation that can lead to long-term complications.

What It Means to Have Diabetes

Diabetes isn’t just about avoiding sweets. It's a chronic metabolic condition that affects how your body processes energy. Over time, unmanaged diabetes can lead to:

Heart disease
Vision loss
Nerve damage
Kidney failure

But here’s the good news: Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable — and even reversible in its early stages, through better food choices, consistent movement, and real-time feedback from health tracking tools.

Enter the Era of Health Wearables

In recent years, wearable health tech has exploded and for good reason. People are becoming more proactive about their health and want data-driven insights to improve their habits.

Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are at the forefront of this revolution.

🔍 What Are CGMs?

CGMs are small, wearable sensors (like Dexcom, Freestyle Libre, and Abbott) that continuously measure glucose levels in real-time. Originally built for people with diabetes, CGMs have entered the wellness space as powerful tools for:

Biohackers
Athletes
Busy professionals
Moms tracking family wellness

Paired with apps like Levels, ZOE, and Nutrisense, Stelo, CGMs can show how a specific food (like a classic donut) impacts your blood sugar compared to a zero-sugar option (like our Planet Bake donuts 😉). It’s not just about avoiding sugar, it’s about learning how your body responds to your choices.

Other Health Wearables Worth Watching

Beyond CGMs, the health optimization toolbox now includes:

Oura Ring. Tracks sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), and body temperature
Apple Watch + Fitbit. Monitors activity, blood oxygen, and stress
Whoop Strap. Used by athletes for strain recovery, HRV, and sleep performance
Lumen – A device that analyzes your breath to understand if you're burning carbs or fat

These wearables empower users to make micro-adjustments in their day, such as timing meals better, recognizing when they need rest, or avoiding foods that cause inflammation.

Takeaways: How to Get Started

Know your numbers. Get a basic metabolic panel or start with a CGM via Levels or Nutrisense.
Track your food and habits. Use apps that help interpret blood sugar trends.
Swap sugar for smarter sweets. Try products like Planet Bake donuts that use allulose, a rare sugar that doesn’t spike insulin or blood sugar.
Sleep, move, and de-stress. Wearables make it easier than ever to track and improve the foundations of health.

Why This Matters Now

With pre-diabetes now affecting over 96 million Americans, and 1 in 3 adults unknowingly at risk, understanding insulin and blood sugar isn’t just for people with diabetes, it’s for everyone. Health wearables are no longer luxury gadgets; they’re becoming vital tools in the fight for longer healthspan, the years we live not just longer, but better.

Want to take better health of your glucose follow The Glucose Goddess