Most people don't wake up one morning with type 2 diabetes. The metabolic dysfunction behind it has usually been brewing for 5, 10, even 15 years before diagnosis — and most of the labs that could catch it early aren't part of your standard annual physical.

In this short prequel episode, Jenny breaks down the blood sugar labs every person should know about, whether or not diabetes runs in your family. You'll learn:

What HbA1C actually measures, the conventional ranges, and why functional practitioners like to see it lower than most doctors do
How fasting glucose works and why it can look perfectly normal while your body is quietly compensating
Why fasting insulin is the single most underused lab in conventional medicine — and how it can reveal insulin resistance 5 to 15 years before your glucose ever changes
How to ask your doctor for fasting insulin by name (and what to do with the HOMA-IR calculation when you have both numbers)
Why your triglycerides and HDL often shift before your glucose does, and how the simple triglyceride-to-HDL ratio can tell you more about your metabolic health than total cholesterol ever will
A sneak peek at next week's deep dive into functional labs — HTMA, continuous glucose monitors, organic acids testing, GI-MAP stool testing, and cortisol rhythm — with a special guest practitioner

FREE Resources:

📘Prediabetes Guide: https://subscribepage.io/starterguide

🍽️Dinner, Solved – https://subscribepage.io/dinnersolved

🗒️Snacks List: https://subscribepage.io/snacks

FREE Clarity Call - https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

🌐 https://www.jennypena.com

📲 Instagram / coachjenp

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health plan.