Insulin Resistance Explained: Metabolic Health, GLP-1s, and Treating the Root Cause with Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden

Original release date: January 5th, 2026

Episode description

In this episode, Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden—endocrinologist, clinical professor of medicine at Mount Sinai, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Diabetes—joins the show for an in-depth discussion on insulin resistance and its central role in modern metabolic disease.

Dr. Bloomgarden shares decades of clinical and academic insight into how insulin resistance underlies conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and other manifestations of metabolic dysfunction. Rather than focusing on isolated lab values or single interventions, this conversation explores metabolic health as a system—and why improving long-term outcomes requires addressing lifestyle, physiology, and, when medically appropriate, pharmacology.

We discuss how insulin resistance develops, why it often goes undetected for years, and how daily behaviors such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and stress interact with hormonal regulation. Dr. Bloomgarden also explains where medications—such as GLP-1 receptor agonists—fit into care, emphasizing their role as tools used when necessary to help patients achieve meaningful health goals, rather than as shortcuts or replacements for healthy living.

This episode is not about forcing people off medication or chasing numbers—it’s about building durable, long-term health by addressing the underlying drivers of metabolic illness.

We discuss:

- What insulin resistance is and why it sits at the center of metabolic disease

- How obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer are interconnected

- Early signs of metabolic dysfunction that often go unnoticed

- The role of insulin, hyperinsulinemia, and glucose regulation in disease progression

- How nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress influence insulin sensitivity

- Where GLP-1 medications fit into treatment and how they are used responsibly in clinical care

- Why improving overall metabolic health—not just lowering numbers—is the true goal

- How clinicians think about lifestyle change, medication, and long-term outcomes

- Common misconceptions about insulin resistance and metabolic health

Referenced Texts and Sites

Resources & links mentioned during the episode

Journal of Diabetes (Editor-in-Chief: Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17530407

Wiley Online Library (publisher of Journal of Diabetes)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com

PubMed (search “Zachary Bloomgarden diabetes”)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Diabetes Care Journal
https://diabetesjournals.org/care

These resources contain Dr. Bloomgarden’s peer-reviewed articles, editorials, and commentaries spanning decades of research in insulin resistance, diabetes, and metabolic health.

About the show

The Health Movement Podcast explores fitness, nutrition, recovery, mindset, and longevity through long-form conversations with experts, clinicians, and thought leaders. Each episode focuses on practical insight, scientific understanding, and systems-based approaches to improving health and performance over the long term.

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