Understanding Insulin Resistance and Lifestyle Hacks to Help Reverse It
The invisible condition that comes BEFORE diabetes
Understanding Insulin Resistance
Most people think that if they don’t have diabetes, they don’t have to worry about their blood sugar. But that is not actually true. Have you ever heard of insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond to insulin (the hormone that allows sugar to enter cells) and that means sugar cannot effectively enter the cells to be burned for energy. When this happens, blood sugar starts to creep higher, especially after eating carbohydrates or sweets.
Insulin resistance is usually present in prediabetes and can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes, but it can exist long before a diabetes diagnosis. The trickiest part? There usually are no obvious symptoms.
But there are definitely some clues that are often associated with insulin resistance, like:
Abdominal weight gain (around the waist)
Sugar and carb cravings
Crashing after eating sweets
It’s important to know that a person does not have to be overweight to have insulin resistance. The only way to know for sure is to look for subtle changes in bloodwork.
Overlooked Root Causes of Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance doesn’t just happen out of the blue. And it’s not just genetics or fate. Here are three often overlooked root causes of insulin resistance:
Visceral Fat
Fat that builds up around the internal organs (instead of just under the skin) is called visceral fat. The fat cells in visceral fat release hormones and inflammatory chemicals that drive insulin resistance. The biggest outward clue that visceral fat exists is an increase in waist size.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells. They are the place where sugars and other macronutrients are transformed into energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction means that cells cannot burn sugar as well. Mitochondria are highly susceptible to damage from free radicals and toxins, so we can protect them by loading up on antioxidants and supporting detoxification.
Inflammation
Obesity is associated with a state of low-grade inflammation, which can even affect parts of the brain that produce leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full. If inflammation leads to leptin resistance, then a person might consume more sugar than the body can handle - without feeling full.
Lifestyle Changes to Reverse Insulin Resistance
Ready for the good news? Insulin resistance is reversible.
Here are some lifestyle changes that can help to reverse insulin resistance.
Weight Loss
Being overweight or obese is associated with multiple changes in the body (including inflammation and leptin resistance as mentioned above) that contribute to or worsen insulin resistance. Studies show that weight loss is one of the best ways to reverse insulin resistance.
Exercise
Exercise not only burns energy in the moment to help regulate blood sugar levels but also builds muscle. Muscle cells more effectively burn sugar than fat cells, even at rest. Exercise is essential to reversing insulin resistance.
Sleep
Didn’t think of this one, did you? Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for increased blood sugar levels, and even one night of a lack of sleep can worsen insulin resistance.
Clean Living
Minimizing your exposure to toxins supports cellular health. Some pesticides increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and many synthetic chemicals are known to be endocrine disruptors that may contribute to insulin resistance.
Eat for Blood Sugar Balance
The foods you eat have a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels. You can slow the digestion and absorption of sugars from your food by combining carbohydrates with fats, fiber, and protein.
Knowledge is power
I truly believe knowledge is power. The better we understand the body, the better we are able to support it in returning to health. Is there anything in this post that shines a light on something that needs your attention? Once you discover what is out of balance for your unique body, you then have the power to make changes to bring it back into balance.
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