When digging further into the root causes of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in my attempts to manage my PCOS holistically (see previous blog post), I quickly came across literature on insulin resistance. The literature seemed split between thinking that the hormone imbalances characteristic of PCOS caused insulin resistance and thinking that the reverse was true - insulin resistance caused hormone imbalances. While many women regain regular cycles by reducing insulin resistance through either a low-carb diet and/or through intermittent fasting, other women (like myself) tend to experience more hormonal derangement when trying a keto diet or intermittent fasting.

Knowing the connection between PCOS and insulin resistance, I was particularly excited when I received blood test results about a year ago showing that my fasting blood glucose was excellent and that my fasting insulin levels were actually a bit below the normal, healthy level. My doctor exclaimed that I had the lowest fasting insulin she had ever seen among women with PCOS! I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

At the same time, I had some symptoms that suggested I was experiencing insulin resistance including cravings for sweet and salty foods, needing frequent bathroom breaks, having bouts of “hangriness,” and lower belly fat that never budges even at my leanest of times.