How I’m Reversing Prediabetes: My Health Update

For the past several years, I’ve been on a health journey that has taken some unexpected turns. What originally started as a desire to lose some stubborn weight eventually uncovered toxin exposure, inflammation, high insulin levels, leptin resistance, and some thyroid markers that needed attention.

There have been successes, disappointments, tears, and plenty of moments when I wondered why taking care of my health had to feel so complicated.

But today, my insulin numbers are coming down, I’ve lost about 15 pounds, my energy is better, I’m sleeping better, my brain fog is gone, and I’m getting stronger.

So I wanted to sit down and share an honest update about what I’ve learned along the way.

Important: This is my personal health story, not medical advice. Metabolic conditions such as prediabetes should be evaluated and treated with the help of a qualified healthcare professional. Herbs and supplements can also interact with medications or may not be appropriate for everyone.

My Health Problems Didn’t Start With Prediabetes

This journey actually goes back to before I was pregnant with our youngest child, Nathaniel.

After having ten biological children, I had accumulated some weight that simply wasn't coming off. At first, I assumed it was normal postpartum weight, hormones, age, or some combination of all three.

And I certainly tried to lose it. I tried keto, Trim Healthy Mama, liver cleanses and resets. When I tried something, I didn’t do it halfway. I really committed to it.

But either nothing happened or I felt terrible. I would end up with headaches, brain fog, low energy and digestive problems.

Thankfully, I had comprehensive lab work done during that season. At the time, my metabolic numbers looked relatively good. I didn't know how important having that baseline would become later. Then I got pregnant with Nathaniel, and naturally, everything else went on the back burner for a while.

Discovering My Toxin Exposure

After Nathaniel was born, I started learning more about environmental toxin exposure and eventually connected with Dr. Torrie Thompson.

Testing showed that I had elevated levels of several substances, including glyphosate. That discovery started a completely different chapter of my health journey.

Josh and I have shared much more about our glyphosate toxicity testing and what we discovered, including the testing we did on ourselves, our soil, water, grains and animal feed.

I’ve also sat down with Dr. Torrie to talk in much more detail about common toxins, toxin buildup and the detoxification process.

When I looked backward, there were symptoms I could trace into my teens, twenties and thirties that suddenly made me wonder whether environmental exposures had been affecting me for much longer than I realized.

I began working through these issues under the guidance of practitioners, first addressing gut problems and then moving on to the toxin exposure.

What I expected to take about five months ended up taking close to two years. And eventually, something unexpected happened. Instead of losing weight, I started gaining it rapidly.

The Lab Results I Wasn't Expecting

I finally reached a point where I knew something wasn't right. We stopped the detoxification protocol and ran another large set of labs. This time, my insulin was very high.

Because I had those earlier labs, I could see that my insulin had previously been near the upper end of the healthy range but had not been where it was now. That information completely changed my focus.

Prediabetes means blood glucose levels are higher than normal but have not yet reached the threshold for type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance can develop when cells in the muscles, fat and liver do not respond to insulin as effectively as they should.

The encouraging part is that lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference. Healthy eating, physical activity, weight management and adequate sleep can help prevent or reverse insulin resistance and prediabetes.

For me, that meant I had a new problem to address. And I was determined to address it.

What I've Been Doing to Improve My Insulin Levels

Over roughly the past year, I've focused heavily on improving my metabolic health. This has not been one magic food, herb, exercise or protocol. It's been a combination of changes.

Changing How I Eat

I spent about nine months eating a ketogenic diet. And I have to say, if you raise your own meat, fat and vegetables, keto can fit surprisingly well with a homesteading diet!

My intention was never to eat that way forever. It was something I used strategically for a season while working on my insulin numbers.

More broadly, I've continued focusing on the kind of traditional whole foods we've talked about for years: real food, quality proteins, homegrown vegetables and ingredients prepared from scratch.

Using Herbs and Supplements

I also incorporated an herbal supplement protocol under the guidance of my healthcare team. One of the supplements I used was berberine.

I've also been using an herbal bitters formula that I formulated specifically as part of my personal metabolic-health routine. I'll be sharing much more about that formula separately because it deserves its own discussion.

Herbal medicine is something I'm passionate about, but I've also learned how important it is to use herbs thoughtfully. If you're just starting out, I recommend learning these foundational herbalism principles rather than immediately buying dozens of herbs and supplements.

We’ve also talked about what an herbal cleansing detox is and isn’t, including some important considerations before starting any kind of cleansing protocol.

Getting the Basics Right

I've also continued returning to the things that sound almost too simple:

• Movement
• Hydration
• Sleep
• Real food
• Stress management
• Consistency

They're not flashy, but they're foundational. And they matter.

My Insulin Has Dropped Significantly

This is where I finally get to share some really encouraging news. My insulin level had reached 18. It has now come down to about 10 and has continued moving in the right direction.

I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm getting there. I've also lost about 15 pounds. Interestingly, I still haven't lost all the weight I gained during the detoxification process. And I'm okay with that.

For a long time, the number on the scale was the thing I was focused on. Now I'm much more interested in what is happening underneath that number.

Then I Found Out I Had High Leptin

Just when I started celebrating the improvements in my insulin, we ran additional tests and I learned that my leptin was high.

We also found that some of my thyroid markers, particularly my thyroid antibodies, weren't where we wanted them to be. I'll tell you the truth, I cried.

There have been several moments during this journey when I've thought, "Seriously? Another thing?"

You work so hard. You make changes. You finally get encouraging results. Then another lab comes back and gives you something new to work on.

For a couple of days, I really struggled with it. And then I had to make a choice.

I can focus on what's wrong or look at what's getting better.

I realized I could spend all my energy focusing on every marker that wasn't perfect, or I could look at what was actually happening in my life.

• My energy is significantly better than it used to be.
• My skin is clearer.
• I no longer have that afternoon crash.
• My brain fog is gone.
• I'm sleeping more soundly than I remember sleeping even as a teenager.

Those things matter. When I look at the fruit of all this work, I can see that my body is moving toward better health.

That doesn't mean I ignore lab results. It means one disappointing number doesn't erase every other sign of progress.

Why I Added Strength Training

About five or six weeks ago, I added consistent strength training and I can already feel the difference. I feel stronger every single week.

I'm developing muscles I haven't felt in years, and I'm really enjoying seeing what my body is capable of doing.

Physical activity is also one of the established lifestyle interventions for improving insulin sensitivity. For me, strength training has become another tool in the larger picture.

But perhaps even more importantly, it has changed how I think about my body. Instead of asking only, "How much weight have I lost?" I'm starting to ask: Am I stronger than I was last month?

That's a much more encouraging measurement.

Don't Wait Until Something Feels Very Wrong

One of the biggest things I wish I'd done earlier was simply get good baseline lab work. If you're concerned about your metabolic health, talk with your healthcare provider about appropriate testing.

Common tests used to identify prediabetes include A1C and fasting plasma glucose. Depending on your situation, your healthcare provider may recommend additional testing.

The reason I'm so grateful for my earlier labs is that they gave me something to compare against later. I could actually see the change, and that helped us know where to focus.

Prediabetes often has no obvious symptoms, which is one reason testing can be so important.

Keep Walking Toward Health

Maybe the biggest thing I've learned through this entire experience is that health isn't always a straight line.

Sometimes you fix one thing and discover another. Sometimes you work incredibly hard and the scale doesn't move. Sometimes a lab result makes you cry. But that doesn't mean nothing is working.

Today, my toxin numbers are much lower than when I began this journey. My insulin has dropped, I've lost weight, I'm stronger, I'm sleeping better, I have better energy and my brain fog is gone.

Those are real wins and I'm going to keep walking toward health. My goal is to be able to look back every year and say, I'm healthier than I was last year.

If you're walking through your own frustrating health journey, I hope my story encourages you to keep asking questions, work with healthcare professionals you trust, pay attention to what your body is telling you, and celebrate the progress you're making along the way.