Insulin resistance and insulin resistance blog -
Sleep apnea is a significant risk factor for insulin resistance, but even chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of diabetes. Chronic stress can also lead to increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Excessive fructose consumption: High intake of fructose from added sugars, not whole fruit has been strongly linked to insulin resistance - added fructose is usually found in ultra-processed foods, as well as soft drinks.
It can be labelled as fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, agave syrup, invert sugar, maple-flavored syrup, or palm sugar. Out of these, high fructose corn syrup is thought to cause the most health issues.
Read more about gut health in our blog post here. Health conditions: such as polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS , gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD , and certain autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis can all increase the risk of insulin resistance as many of these have inflammation as a common underlying cause.
Medications : Steroids, some blood pressure medications, certain HIV treatments and some psychiatric medications can affect blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to insulin resistance over time if used longterm. Insulin resistance can lead to a range of health problems, including:.
Type 2 diabetes : This is the condition most people think of when they hear the words insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and is what causes pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes note type 1 diabetes is NOT related to insulin resistance; it is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to our pancreas and reduces our ability to make insulin.
Insulin resistance can actually precede prediabetes by decades and is often not picked up until blood sugar levels are high! Cardiovascular disease : Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and significantly increases the chance of having heart attacks or strokes.
Chronically high levels of insulin in the blood, in addition to high cholesterol levels, can lead to a buildup of fat in the walls of blood vessels, causing blockages.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD : Insulin resistance is a key factor in the development of NAFLD, a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver.
Over time, this can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis. Metabolic syndrome : This is a combination of increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
It is a major risk factor for diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. Obesity: Insulin resistance is commonly associated with obesity, particularly abdominal or truncal obesity which can indicate visceral fat - a dangerous buildup of fat around the internal organs.
Excess body fat can lead to the release of inflammatory substances that can interfere with insulin signaling pathways, and ironically make it harder to lose weight, even though the excess weight is contributing to insulin resistance in the first place.
Insulin resistance often develops over years, and often may not cause symptoms in the early stages. This means prevention is important, in particular trying to follow lifestyle strategies to prevent it if you have any risk factors for insulin resistance.
However, as insulin resistance worsens, several signs and symptoms may start to appear. Some of the common symptoms and signs of insulin resistance include:.
High blood sugar levels : Insulin resistance leads to higher levels of glucose in the blood, which can cause symptoms such as frequent urination, increased thirst, and fatigue. This can be detected on a blood sugar test.
Weight gain : Insulin resistance promotes weight gain, especially around the tummy visceral fat. Insulin promotes the storage of fat in the body, so high levels stimulate additional weight gain a waist measuring more than cm for men and 88cm for women is a warning sign you may have insulin resistance.
Difficulty losing weight : Ironically, people with insulin resistance may also find it difficult to lose weight, even with regular exercise and a healthy diet. We cover this in a bit more detail below. Dark patches of skin : This is called acanthosis nigricans, and can occur with insulin resistance - particularly in the folds of the skin, such as the neck, armpits, and groin.
High blood pressure : Insulin resistance is often associated with high blood pressure, as similar underlying processes promote both of these. High blood pressure can further increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
High cholesterol levels : Insulin resistance can lead to high levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease, as well as low levels of HDL good cholesterol. Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS : Insulin resistance is a common feature of PCOS, and can both contribute to PCOS development, as well as worsen symptoms.
Metabolic syndrome: As mentioned previously, this is a combination of increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels high triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and low HDL cholesterol.
It is strongly linked with insulin resistance. This is tricky, as at present there is no standard validated lab test for insulin resistance.
Fasting blood sugar levels and HBA1C tests will detect prediabetes and diabetes, but as insulin resistance can be present for years before these occur, they will only pick it up at a late stage, once the pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin to keep blood sugars under control.
Oral glucose tolerance tests can be helpful, as these measure the bodies response to sugar, but they are time intensive to perform, so are not used routinely. They also check blood sugar response, rather than insulin levels. Similarly, a test called an insulin clamp test is a gold standard test for insulin levels, but is currently only used in research settings.
There are a few indirect measures of insulin resistance that can be done based on fasting insulin and glucose, such as the HOMA-IR test, and the QUICKI test, as well as calculating the ratio of triglyceride to HDL cholesterol, which can all be helpful, but are not currently used as diagnostic criteria.
The triglyceride to HDL ratio is most accessible, as it can be calculated off a normal cholesterol blood test, to calculate it you simply divide your triglyceride reading by your HDL cholesterol reading. This can be a helpful indicator to use, alongside signs and risk factors of insulin resistance, to get an idea if you may have it and should focus on improving it!
Insulin resistance is highly responsive to lifestyle changes, meaning small changes can make a big difference. Here are our top tips - if this feels overwhelming, just start with one or two things initially that feel most achievable, and try to make these into a regular habit.
Then as you build confidence with these, add a couple more things in. Change is hard, but small sustainable steps are the best way to create change that lasts. Tip 1: Swap refined carbohydrates for whole grains, and be aware of carbohydrate portion sizes. One of the most effective ways to reverse insulin resistance is to reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.
We have loads of whole food plant based recipes in our Lifestyle Lounge! Western diets are typically very high in refined carbohydrates these are grains that have had the fibre and germ removed, ie white flour, white noodles, white rice.
The refining process means these foods are quickly broken down into glucose in the body when we eat them, leading to spikes in blood sugar levels and increased insulin secretion.
In contrast, whole grains and other complex carbohydrates fruits, legumes, and vegetables contain fibre and other nutrients which means they are absorbed much more slowly, providing a steady source of glucose when we eat them, rather than a big spike of glucose.
Being aware of your carb portion sizes is also important - we often eat way more carbs than we need, as they tend to be an easy option - whereas in reality carbs should just be a part of your meal, not the main focus!
Tip 2: Reduce or avoid added sugars. Sugar can play a massive part in elevating insulin levels, as added sugars those that are added during the production or cooking process, rather than occuring naturally tend to cause a rapid rise in glucose levels when we eat or drink them.
This is particularly true for foods high in sugar, that are also low in fibre and protein, such as sweet drinks including fruit juices! Whereas when sugar in eaten in whole foods such as fruit , the fibre in these foods slows down how quickly the sugars are absorbed. Many convenience foods can contain almost a whole days worth of added sugar in just one serving!
Be aware that sugar can be labelled under many different names - this includes typical sweeteners such as cane sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, as well as highly refined ones such as dextrose and maltodextrin.
Reading the ingredients on the label can help give you clues -items on food labels are listed in order from largest to smallest quantity.
To learn more about sugar, check out our blog post here. We also have loads of refined sugar free recipes in our Lifestyle Lounge , Reboot course , and Nutrition course.
Tip 3: Increase intake of healthy fats and proteins. Healthy fats and proteins are an important part of a balanced diet, but can also help improve insulin sensitivity, as they help to slow the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream.
Try combining carbohydrate-rich foods such as grains, legumes and starchy veggies with good sources of healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish, to create delicious healthy meals that will keep you full without spiking your blood sugar.
You can use the healthy plate guide above to guide you. Protein also helps regulate appetite, as there is a mechanism called the protein leverage hypothesis, which means that we tend to eat until we have consumed enough protein, since it is vital for survival.
In simple terms, this means if we prioritise eating enough protein with meals, we feel full faster, and this helps to avoid overconsuming calories and glucose. We have lots of plant protein rich meal ideas in our Lifestyle Lounge , Reboot Course , and Nutrition course, we also take a deep dive into protein, fat and carbs and how to eat for better health without restricting in our courses.
Tip 4: Move your body regularly. Did you know, exercise is one of THE most effective ways to improve insulin sensitivity and reverse insulin resistance?! During aerobic exercise, our body burns more glucose and fat for fuel, which can help to reduce insulin resistance.
Exercise also helps reduce inflammation and improve heart health. Exercise also increases the number of Glut-4 receptors in our muscle cells those little receptors that insulin attaches to, to let glucose into our cells.
This means the more exercise we do, the more effectively our body is able to take up glucose, which improves our insulin sensitivity. Exercise has the added bonus of building muscle, which also helps increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.
This is because muscle cells are more insulin sensitive than fat cells, ie they can take up glucose without insulin when they are active ie when exercising , and also need less insulin to take up glucose than other cells.
Muscles also burn more energy at rest than fat cells, meaning they keep on working out even when you stop! Resistance training can also help our body store glucose more efficiently in muscle tissue, further improving insulin sensitivity. This makes building muscle mass vital for combatting insulin resistance.
Ideally aim to do strength training 3 days per week, working all muscle groups in the body. If you struggle to get a block of exercise in during the day, try exercise snacking - incorporating short bursts of movement throughout the day, as research shows this can be just as effective as one longer workout.
We cover exercise in depth, as well as lots of practical tips and resources to help you get moving, in our Reboot and Activity courses. Tip 5: Get enough sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital for overall health, and a good nights sleep can significantly improve insulin sensitivity. Lack of sleep disrupts our body's circadian rhythms, increasing the production of stress hormones like cortisol.
In turn, cortisol can elevate blood sugar and insulin levels, and interfere with insulin sensitivity. Chronic sleep deprivation is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and even one night of poor sleep can impact blood sugar and insulin levels!
Aim to get hours of quality sleep per night, and consider getting screened for conditions such as sleep apnoea if you are at risk of these, or have typical symptoms such as persistent snoring, daytime sleepiness, and stopping breathing while sleeping.
Tip 6: Reduce stress. Practising stress-reducing activities like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing can help to reduce stress and improve insulin sensitivity. Learn all about how stress works, how it affects us, symptoms to watch for, and practical ways to reduce stress and improve stress resilience in our Reboot and Stress courses.
Tip 7: Consider fasting. It is important to talk to your doctor in this situation before considering any form of fasting. Fasting can bring down insulin levels and promote the breakdown of fat stores for energy, as well as potentially help to improve blood sugar control and reducing the risk of insulin resistance.
There is ongoing research looking into various forms of fasting such as circadian eating, time-restricted eating, fasting-mimicking diets, and intermittent calorie restriction, with fairly promising results. Time-restricted eating not eating for a h window overnight is often the safest and easiest form of fasting to start with, as it simply involves not eating after dinner and delaying breakfast slightly, and can be highly effective in improving blood sugar levels.
But as always, it is important to listen to your body though, as fasting does not suit everyone! We take a deep dive into the pros and cons of fasting, types of fasting, and how to do it safely, in our Reboot and Nutrition courses. Tip 8: Supplements.
As always, we recommend taking a lifestyle-first approach for improving insulin resistance, as this has the most evidence to back it up, and is also the safest!
From a supplement perspective though, there is some research to suggest the following may help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels although for most of them trials are small meaning the quality of the evidence is low :.
Many Western diets are low in magnesium - rich food sources including whole grains, leafy green vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Alpha Lipoic Acid ALA - one small trial showed significant improvements in fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels taking mg daily for 8 weeks.
ALA is an antioxidant made by the body, and found in small amounts in food. Supplementing Vit D to aim for the higher end of normal ranges can help improve blood sugar control in diabetics, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammatory markers.
Folate - this is a B vitamin, which may help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Folate supplementation is used to reduce homocysteine levels, an inflammatory marker associated with higher rates of diabetes, insulin resistance and also heart disease and strokes.
Trials on folate supplementation show it can help reduce fasting blood sugar levels, but not HBA1C levels. Folate is found in dark green leafy veggies, brassica, and legumes, so plant-focused whole food diets generally contain lots of it!
Fibre - fibre in foods helps to lower blood sugar levels, by slowing absorption of glucose. Diets high in fibre also protect against diabetes and can help improve blood sugar control in diabetics.
From a supplement perspective, psyllium husk has been shown to improve blood sugar levels, fasting blood sugar, and HBA1C, it is also great for gut health. It appears to help delay stomach emptying slowing glucose absorption , reduce blood sugar, and improve insulin sensitivity.
WRAPPING IT UP. Being diagnosed with insulin resistance, prediabetes, or diabetes can come as a shock, yet there are also so many simple, evidence-based changes you can make, that will have a massive impact - both on your health and also on how well you feel!
By using a CGM or glucometer you will also learn which types of exercise are best for you. Getting into the habit of performing some type of exercise after meals can significantly lower blood glucose levels because exercise moves blood glucose into muscle cells glucose is required for energy.
Some will find a minute walk will lower blood glucose substantially, while others may find resistance or aerobic exercise works best for them. Controlled by our autonomic nervous system, these processes include heart rate, breathing, circulation, hormone regulation, producing proteins, and digestion.
In addition to diet and exercise, our metabolism is tightly controlled by our response to insulin. Insulin sensitivity is also affected by stress, lack of sleep, and being overweight. If the body becomes less sensitive to the effects of insulin, the resulting hormonal imbalance can not only cause the problems listed above, it can also result in a cytokine storm — an over-reactive immune response potentially leading to organ failure and death.
Next month I will go into more detail about how dietary changes and food combinations can lower blood glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, increase energy by improving mitochondrial function, and help correct insulin resistance.
In addition, I will describe a method using a standard blood test that will more accurately determine if you are insulin resistant.
I will also outline supplements that can improve insulin sensitivity and help correct insulin resistance. The good news is that by making changes in your diet and lifestyle, you should be able to bring your readings into the normal range.
Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that moves blood glucose from the food we eat into our tissues and organs; it is needed for energy and a multitude of important functions.
Insulin resistance IR is a physiological state where our cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, and is an underlying cause of many serious health conditions. The goal of this series of articles is to show how we can restore insulin sensitivity to our cells and help reverse IR.
When our cells are more sensitive to the effects of insulin, the many health problems associated with IR can be reversed, bringing you the greatest potential for living a long, disease-free life. Just about every health problem can be improved by correcting this one overarching cause.
Particulate matter up to 2. Most cities track the levels of PM2. Once in the blood, these particles can activate pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines that can potentially contribute to IR. I recommend using a quality HEPA air purifier like products from Blueair that can remove particles even smaller than PM2.
Exposure to cigarette smoke increases the risk of many chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Gerald Reaven identified a relationship between smoking and IR over 20 years ago, and many studies have since confirmed his research. In addition, secondhand smoke can produce ceramides — bad fats that may cause smoke-induced IR.
The main addictive component in tobacco, nicotine, causes our fat cells to be insulin resistant, and nicotine can also enter the body through patches and vaping.
White light is a relatively equal blend of red, blue, and green light. When you are exposed to normal daylight, cell phones, computer monitors, and televisions, the blue portion of the light stimulates serotonin and cortisol the stress hormone.
It also works to inhibit melatonin production which is critical for sleep and immune function. In addition, too much light in general can contribute to developing IR, while spending more time in the dark, helps to lower it. I recommend using blue-blocking sunglasses if you need to use a screen, or ideally, to stop using any screens within three hours of bedtime.
If you want to read at night, there are special light bulbs that have the blue portion of light removed designed for nighttime use, or look for lighting in the Kelvin range, which is a more yellow colour. I love a brief nap, especially if I have to be at my best in the evening, but napping for an hour a day is associated with IR.
In addition, napping for an hour or more can affect your ability to fall asleep at night. I find that minutes before pm works best for me. One of the primary reasons older people develop IR is because they become more sedentary.
Even being sedentary for a few days, as can happen if you are fighting a bad cold or recovering from a surgical procedure can result in a measurable increase in insulin resistance. A seven-fold increase in IR can result from just a week of being bedridden, and it can take many weeks to reverse.
Whenever you move, you contract your muscles, and muscle contraction enables the muscle to take in glucose from the blood without the use of insulin.
Any type of movement, even walking at a moderate pace, will lower insulin and blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Exercise also results in improved cardiovascular function and stronger bones and muscles, but it must be combined with other lifestyle and dietary changes for weight loss and to reverse IR.
Sitting for two hours without a break increases IR, especially before eating. Standing up and flexing your muscles every 20 minutes, even for a minute or two can help reduce the risk of developing IR.
Studies confirm that you receive the greatest benefit from resistance exercise, and not just for lowering IR. You can receive benefits from aerobic exercise too, so if you prefer to walk I like a brisk pace , you will still benefit from walking daily.
Do the form of exercise you like best, so you can make it a daily habit. If you want to spend the least amount of time and reap the greatest benefits, resistance training improves insulin sensitivity the most. If you only have an hour or two per week to exercise, I recommend training with weights, bands, or other forms of resistance.
You build the most muscle from resistance training, and the more muscle you have, the greater potential for removing glucose from the blood. walking, biking, rowing, swimming , low intensity makes sense as you get more accustomed to the exercise, but eventually you want to challenge yourself to go at a faster pace.
Pure fructose often used as crystalline fructose in health products , sugar half glucose, half fructose , and high fructose corn syrup, all increase IR. Another problem is that these sweeteners also increase oxidative stress which can lead to cell damage and contribute to serious health conditions.
Fruit is naturally high in fructose, but if you consume the whole fruit, the fibre content lowers the insulin-stimulating effects of the fructose.
Natural Sweeteners. Natural alternatives that appear to be safer that do not result in insulin production include stevia Reb M is the form that tastes most like sugar, without the strong aftertaste , yacon syrup, monk fruit , and allulose. Allulose is a monosaccharide that naturally occurs in foods including figs, raisins, maple syrup, and jackfruit.
Check to ensure that monk fruit or stevia products are not blended with xylitol or erythritol. Yacon syrup is interesting as it is rich in prebiotics, soluble fibre also called FOS or fructooligosaccharides that helps the body to produce bifidobacteria and lactobacillus.
These probiotics can help reduce constipation and improve immune response. In addition, FOS fermentation in the colon can produce short-chain fatty acids associated with lower rates of colon cancer by suppressing inflammation. Until recently, I had recommended the use of xylitol and erythritol as sugar substitutes.
These are sugar alcohols that taste almost identical to sugar, but they do not cause the insulin response that sugar does. New research from the Cleveland Clinic has found a strong correlation between erythritol and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, so I no longer recommend any sweetener with erythritol.
Many monk fruit sweeteners are predominantly erythritol, so read the label carefully. Xylitol can be very effective as an ingredient in toothpastes , nasal sprays , and when used with salt in a neti pot for reducing bacteria in the nasal mucous membranes.
However, I have found that it can disrupt gut bacteria when ingested, and some people who are sensitive to xylitol may experience diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
Resistant starches have a variety of health benefits including improving insulin sensitivity. These microbes have a wide variety of benefits including lowering blood sugar and potentially reducing the risk of cancer.
An easy way to add resistant starch to your diet is by consuming potato starch, a fine powder that can be added to water or smoothies.
Salt is so often associated with hypertension that for decades medical professionals have been recommending we eat less salt. Insufficient salt is however highly associated with IR. In a recent study of over men, those who restricted salt intake became more insulin resistant.
When we restrict salt, our kidneys produce more aldosterone, a hormone that helps the body retain urinary salt which is why blood pressure rises , but IR increases in the process. Cigarette smoke exposure increases the risk of many chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular and respiratory.
This work has the potential to identify new treatments to help people with T1D use insulin more efficiently and prevent complications like heart and kidney disease. In people with T1D, high glucagon levels stimulate glucose production in the liver and the production of ketones.
This contributes to high blood glucose, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of diabetic ketoacidosis DKA. Jeremy Pettus, M. Ongoing studies will assess if using this drug alongside insulin therapy can improve blood glucose, reduce IR, and prevent ketone formation.
Cardiovascular disease CVD is the leading cause of death for people with T1D. People with T1D are at risk of CVD even when they achieve their blood sugar targets. This is why exploring CVD in T1D is a research priority for JDRF. JDRF-funded researcher Justin Gregory, M.
Findings from this study will provide insight into the metabolic processes that lead to heart disease in people with T1D. Learn more about how JDRF-funded research improves the lives of people living with T1D. We value your privacy.
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Insulin resistance Energy-efficient lighting a Inxulin in inssulin cells stop insulni properly to the signal insuljn insulin a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Over time, insulin resistance bloh lead to diseases like prediabetes, obesity, and Nutrition for injury recovery and prevention 2 diabetes. Liver function supplements may have heard that certain foods, like white flour and sugar, will cause spikes in your blood sugar. But there is some good news. So what is the best way to eat if you have insulin resistance and want to reverse your prediabetes or type 2 diabetes? If you are insulin resistant, you'll want to eat foods that have a regulating effect on your blood sugar levels such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, protein, and healthy fats.Video
High Insulin Foods to Avoid (to REVERSE Insulin Resistance!) 2022 Insulin Insulin resistance and insulin resistance blog is a hot topic these days. Which makes sense, because 1 in Speed improvement techniques 4 Americans is suspected to Inwulin insulin resistance. Unfortunately, insuln fast-paced, high-stress, Insulin resistance and insulin resistance blog resistacne bring about this unwanted condition. Fortunately, insulin resistance is preventable, and even reversible, by making healthy diet and lifestyle changes! This article will cover the 15 best blogs…aside from Method, of course, to learn how to reverse insulin resistance naturally. What is Insulin Resistance? First, our body naturally releases insulin whenever we eat a meal containing carbohydrates.
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