For some, the takeaway from this article will be as obvious as “water is wet.” Nevertheless, I find these data and arguments worth sharing for two reasons:
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I’m a nerd who enjoys physiological mechanisms—and I know many of you are the same.
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Despite what may seem obvious, social norms persist that perpetuate poor metabolic health in our population, making us vulnerable to chronic diseases (and viral pandemics).
In this article, we will:
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Take a peek at how high blood sugar weakens your immune system at the cellular level.
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Next, we will explore examples of dysfunctional social norms that perpetuate poor metabolic health.
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Finally, provide a toolkit of practical strategies to help reshape and/or protect your environment, behavior, and health.
Diabetes, Immunity & the Viral Dark Arts
For context, it’s well-established that poorly controlled T2D increases morbidity and mortality from respiratory viral infections, including “he who must not be named,” a.k.a. COVIDemort. (Okay, jokes over. That one was just too cathartic as many social media platforms, e.g. YouTube, suppress even authentic academic discussion of the matter.)
But exactly HOW elevated blood sugars impair immune function is a fun mechanism to unpack. It’s a complex metabolic story, but data published in Cell Metabolism provide interesting insights.
Let me inject you with some knowledge. The researchers discovered:
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Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) causes mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Unhealthy mitochondria increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress.
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This results in the oxidation of fragile lipids (fats), a process called lipid peroxidation (LPO).
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LPO, in turn, leads to the degradation of STAT4, a protein that regulates gene expression and the differentiation of CD4+ T-cells—key players in antiviral immune defense.
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This sequence ultimately leads to impaired immune response and higher morbidity and mortality in those with T2D and poor glycemic control.
In short: Chronically high blood sugar weakens your immune system at the cellular level.
Dysfunctional Social Norms: The Real Point
The elephant in the room of healthcare is poor metabolic health.
And at the root of that are dysfunctional social norms that poke and prod the elephant, leading to a stampede of poor metabolic health: obesity, diabetes, neurological disorders, mental health conditions, autoimmune diseases, and so on.
Here are just a few examples:
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Nutrient-depleted public school lunches
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Sugar-laden hospital meals (The tray of hospital food had 258 grams of carbohydrates; see bottom left)
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And yes—public giveaways of free donuts as a reward for getting vaccinated
Now, I’m all for positive reinforcement in preventive healthcare. But seriously?
We’ve become so habituated—dare I say “addicted”—to sugar and processed food that we barely notice the irony. Many don’t even pause to question it. That silence is telling.
Let me put it another way: We’re so psycho-metabolically compromised as a society, we’re handing out sugar to ‘fight’ disease.
StayCurious Partner: Chapter
Now before we move on to talk about a Making Healthy eating Choices 101—I want to give a should out to Chapter for sponsoring this additional free-to-all article.
I’m happy to let them sponsor this article because I believe they share my mission to arm people with information that can improve their overall health. Their expertise? Medicare insurance—arguably almost as complicated as metabolism.
And here’s something you may not know: the right health insurance can literally improve all-cause mortality. That’s not just correlation—there’s causal evidence.
And that’s why Chapter exists.
They are a company founded by people whose own parents were scammed by sleazy Medicare brokers. They vowed to fix the system, and they’ve built a model that does just that. Chapter is fully independent—the only national advisors who search every Medicare plan available to find the one that truly fits your needs and priorities. They aren’t an insurance company; they advocate for you. Their mission is to cut through the endless mailers, sales calls, and fine print that often push plans which don’t serve your best interests.
The result? Savings in money (an average of $1,100/year), stress, and even life years.
If this service could help you or a loved one, consider calling 815-STAY-CUR (815-782-9287). Metabolic health is life insurance—but you also need the right real health insurance. I strongly suggest you check out my article, or visit askchapter.org/staycurious.
Your Basic Metabolic Toolkit
Now, let’s start with what you can do today. These are the basics… the ‘Eat Healthy 101’…
Kill the Hidden Sugar
No, not just “stop eating donuts” (though yes, that too). The real metabolic killer? Hidden sugars in “healthy” foods—yogurt, granola, juice, “protein” bars (code for candy bars with a strong marketing team).
Honestly, the virtue signaling goes hard. A few funny (?) examples of labels I’ve seen applied to make foods sound healthy:
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“Plant-Based Caffeine” (as if there’s caffeine in an egg) or “Plant-Based Energy”
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“From Real Food” (includes three types of sugar, flour and and processed oils)
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“As Much Protein as an Egg” (i.e. 6 grams coupled with 17 grams of sugar for $8.99)
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“Vegan” (a sticker on water…)
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“Zero Sugar” when it in fact has gobs of sugar
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“Made with Real Fruit” (fruit snacks candy)
Lift to Live Healthier Longer
No, I don’t mean you need to “Schwarzenegger” yourself. But it’s an irrefutable truth that functional, healthy muscle mass is your body’s best and biggest glucose sink. And, even independent of weight loss, resistance training improves glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity. Even 30 minutes 2–3 days a week of strength training is a metabolic power move. (For molecular details, see ~2:05 – 3:41 of the video below)
Psychology is Contagious: Use It
Now, here’s where things get fun—and subversive.
You are more influential than you think. Habits are contagious, especially those that feel unusual but intentional. When people see someone not eating dessert, skipping breakfast, or ordering “real food,” it sticks.
Try These Four Small, Radical Acts:
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Say, “No thanks, I feel better when I don’t eat sugar,” with zero apology.
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Bring a nourishing, protein-rich lunch to work—and let people ask why… It might turn out that ‘Curiosity Killed the Carbs.’
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Walk post-lunch and invite someone with you with the unusual but intentional explanation, “It helps stabilize my post-prandial glucose, which helps me be more productive.”
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Be the person who asks about ingredients at restaurants, again, with zero apology.
These aren’t performative. They’re infectious signals. You’re shaping your environment by existing differently and intentionally, rather than letting is shape you.
Or, put another way, Psychology is more infectious than any virus. So—my challenge to you: Be a positive mind virus.
If you liked this article and want more nuanced deep dives into most interesting and cutting-edge metabolic research, give me a Follow. And as always, stay curious.
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