Ep:39 Fiber & Inflammation: Why It Matters for Prediabetes

Most people know fiber is good for digestion — but did you know it’s also one of the most powerful tools we have to calm inflammation, balance blood sugar, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes?

In today’s episode, I break down:

• What inflammation really is (and why chronic inflammation is dangerous)

• How it connects to insulin resistance and prediabetes

• The science-backed ways fiber helps reduce inflammation

• Other anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your plate

• One simple fiber tip you can try today

By the end, you’ll see fiber in a whole new light — not just as “roughage,” but as a key to better blood sugar and long-term health.

✨ Registration is open for the Full Plate Living 8-Week Program! This group coaching program is designed to help you add more fiber-rich foods into your life in a simple, sustainable way.

✔️ Live sessions every Friday at 12 noon ET✔️ Electronic program materials included✔️ Physical workbook available on Amazon for purchase✔️ Just $197 for the full 8 weeks

👉 Learn more & register here: ttps://subscribepage.io/fiber

📺 Don’t miss the Orientation Session on September 20th — streaming on YouTube! It’s pinned at the top of my channel for easy access.

Connect with Coach Jenny Pena, NBC-HWC: Free Resource: “Dinner, Solved” – 5 Easy Meals That Keep Blood Sugar Steady -  https://subscribepage.io/dinnersolvedVisit My Website: ⁠⁠https://www.jennypena.com⁠⁠ Follow me on Instagram: ⁠⁠ @coachjenp⁠  

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel:@coachjenp

Book a Free Clarity Call: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/coachjenp7/call

Episode Transcript

(00:15):
Hey there, welcome back to the path to better A1C podcast.
I am Jenny Pena, your blood sugar strategist and board
certified health and Wellness coach.
And each week I am here to sharesimple science back strategies
to help you lower your A1C, prevent diabetes, regain your

(00:37):
energy, and feel more confident while making all these food and
lifestyle choices. Now, last week we talked a
little bit about the fiber gap, right?
Like how most Americans are onlygetting about 15 grams of fiber
per day when the goal should be closer to 25, between 25 to 40 a

(00:57):
day. And that is a big gap and it is
affecting our health in major ways.
Now today I wanted to dive a bitdeeper into the connection
between fiber and inflammation and why this is such an
important piece if we're dealingwith diabetes, pre diabetes,
insulin resistance, blood sugar challenges, or even just trying

(01:19):
to feel better day-to-day and weight loss.
Now before we get started, I want to give you a quick
reminder that registration for my 8 week Full Plate Living
program is open. We're scheduled to start on
Friday, October 3rd at noon livesessions and I will share more

(01:41):
details at the end of the episode.
But if you're looking for support and eating in a way that
will lower your blood sugar, boost your energy, and increase
your fiber intake, this program is for you.
Now, what is inflammation? Let's start with the basics.
Inflammation is your body's natural defense system.

(02:04):
Short term, inflammation is helpful.
It's like healing a cut or fighting a cold.
But when that response doesn't turn off, you get a chronic low
grade inflammation. Think of it like a fire that
keeps smoldering in the background.
Over time, it damages tissues and increases your risk of

(02:29):
conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, or
even some cancers. Now, doctors often measure this
inflammation with a blood test. That is called CRP and it stands
for C reactive protein. Now the higher CRP levels are,

(02:49):
it's typically an indicator thatsomething is happening.
And I can say that with people with obesity and pre diabetes,
they tend to be on the higher end.
And I'm going to include myself in it because for the longest
time those CRP levels were elevated.
It took a while for me after being very consistent and

(03:10):
adjusting different things to actually see that get a bit
lower. Now let's talk about how
inflammation connects to pre diabetes.
Now here is where it gets like abit serious.
We're talking about inflammationis a natural reaction of your
body. However, chronic inflammation

(03:32):
interferes with insulin, the hormone that helps move sugar
from your blood into your cells.Now when inflammation is high,
your cells stop listening to insulin and that is insulin
resistance. So the sugar stays in your
bloodstream for too long. Your pancreas is working harder

(03:55):
to get that blood sugar leveled and over time this can actually
leads to type 2 diabetes. So research shows that people
with higher CRP levels, they also more likely to actually
progress from pre diabetes to diabetes.
So that's why this is so important.

(04:17):
Now, how fiber helps. Here's the good news, right?
Like fiber will help calm that fire.
It will help. So first, soluble fiber, right?
Like the soluble fiber slows down how quickly carbs hit your
bloodstream. That means no more roller
coaster blood sugar spikes aftermeals.

(04:39):
The second advantage is that fiber feeds your gut bacteria.
When those bacteria are happy, they produce compounds like
butyrate, which is a short chainfatty acids that lower
inflammation and improve your insulin sensitivity.
So you see the whole connection.Now, the third element to

(05:02):
consider is that a fiber supports weight management,
especially reducing visceral fat.
Now, what is visceral fat? It's like that belly fat, that
fat that is around your organs and typically drives that
inflammation up. Now, big population studies like
the Nurses Health Study show that people who eat the most

(05:26):
fiber have about 20 to 30% lowerrisk of developing type 2
diabetes. And the higher fiber diets are
directly linked with lower CRB levels.
So here's your quick tip. If you want an easy fiber win
today, add half a cup of beans to learn to your lunch.

(05:49):
That's about 7-8 grams of fiber in one simple swap.
Think about one way of adding fiber.
Now let's talk about other anti-inflammatory foods, right?
Like we're talking about fiber. And I know that a lot of people
may say Oh well beans don't really sit well with me, but

(06:10):
there are many other choices that you can pick to add fiber
into your diet. But fiber isn't working alone
here. There are other
anti-inflammatory foods so include colorful fruits and
vegetables, nuts and seeds, fatty fish like salmon, olive

(06:33):
oil, and spices like turmeric and ginger.
They're all proven to help and have those anti-inflammatory
properties. But put this together with fiber
and I'm telling you, you are going to be creating a plate
that fights inflammation and also balances your blood sugar

(06:55):
while supporting your long term health.
Now here is your like I always like to do.
Here's your practical take away.Take this take away.
This week, try to add just 5 grams of fiber a day to whatever
you're eating now without changing anything else.

(07:17):
And that could be just as simpleas adding an apple with the
skin, a serving of beans or lentils, or maybe putting a
couple of tablespoons of Shia seeds in your smoothie.
As simple as that. And if you're working with your
doctor, ask about those labs. Ask about the CRP levels along

(07:38):
with your A1C and your cholesterol levels.
These will give you a bigger picture of how inflammation and
blood sugar are connected and you will get that advice from
your practitioner as to how to proceed and how to monitor it.
Now before we wrap up, let me tell you a little bit more about
the Full Plate Living Eight Weekprogram because it's designed to

(08:01):
help you put these strategies into action.
And it is just $197, 8 sessions which are all live on Fridays at
12 noon Eastern Standard Time. You'll get electronic materials
included for each module. And if you prefer a physical

(08:21):
workbook, it is actually available on Amazon.
Now don't forget that there is an orientation session that I am
going to have on YouTube Premiere.
It's going to be a pre recorded session, but I'm going to be
there in the chat to answer all the questions that you may have.
And I will walk you through the science behind the program, what

(08:42):
to expect and show you how simple it is to just get
started. So if you want more details, I
will definitely put the link in [e-mail].
But I will put all the links, the links to my YouTube and the
link for the landing page so that you can see the details of

(09:04):
the program so that that is it for today.
Remember, inflammation is one ofthose hidden drivers of pre
diabetes and fiber is one of thebest tools that you can have at
your disposal to calm it down. So thank you so much for joining

(09:24):
me. If this episode was helpful,
share it with a friend live. A quick review rate this
podcast. It really helps more people find
the podcast. And don't miss next week's
episode where I am going to be talking about fiber and your gut
health. Yes, we are going there.

(09:47):
Until then, keep adding those small fiber upgrades and your
body will thank you. Until the next one.
Bye.