What is Insulin Resistance?
Whether you're looking for answers for yourself or someone you love, we're here to give you the best information available. To understand insulin resistance, often referred to as prediabetes, let's first talk about what insulin does. When you eat food, your body converts that food into dietary sugars.
Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that tells your cells to open up to that sugar and convert it into energy. With insulin resistance, the cells don't react and don't open up, resulting in excessive sugar in the blood. Over time, the pancreas keeps trying to regulate the blood sugar, producing more and more insulin until it wears out and can't produce large amounts of insulin anymore. As a result, blood sugar levels increase to the point of being in the diabetic range.
How to Reverse Insulin Resistance:
What are the symptoms?
Very often people with insulin resistance don't have any symptoms at all. It is usually picked up by their doctor during an annual health exam or routine blood work. There are some signs of insulin resistance that your doctor may look for. These include:
- A waistline over 40 inches in men, and a waistline over 35 inches in women.
- Skin tags or patches of dark velvety skin called acanthosis nigricans.
- A blood pressure reading of 130 over 80 or higher.
- A fasting glucose level equal to or above 100 milligrams per deciliter. Or a blood sugar level equal to or above 140 milligrams per deciliter two hours after a glucose load test.
- An A1C between 5.7% and 6.3%.
- A fasting triglycerides level of over 150 milligrams per deciliter.
- An HDL cholesterol level is under 40 milligrams per deciliter in men and an HDL cholesterol level is under 50 milligrams per deciliter in women.
How is it diagnosed?
If your doctor spots these symptoms, they may follow up with a physical exam and a variety of blood tests that measure the levels of glucose, or sugar, in your blood and/or your tolerance to that glucose. Or more recently, a blood test called hemoglobin glycosylated A1C, often simply referred to as A1C.
Reversing insulin resistance and preventing type two diabetes is possible through lifestyle changes, medication, or sometimes both. Healthy bodies come in different shapes and sizes. Losing weight through drastic means can be dangerous and counterproductive. Instead, get ideas from a doctor or a nutritionist about ways to incorporate healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and lean proteins into your meals. Also, consider incorporating exercise and movement into your day-to-day life in ways that make you feel good.
What now?
Even though permanently defeating insulin resistance isn't always possible, you can help your body to be more receptive to insulin. Listen to your body, reduce stress, and give it the Quality nutrition and activity it desires.
Here's a list of key ingredients that have been shown to have benefits:
- Chromium plays a role in the insulin-signaling pathways that allow our bodies to control the amount of sugar we take in, helping balance blood glucose levels and giving us stable energy. Chromium is well-researched for promoting healthy blood sugar levels, diabetes control, heart health, weight management, and brain health.
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Berberine has been used to naturally treat diabetes for centuries.
- Vitamin B3 helps with brain function, skin health and even preventing or treating diabetes.
- Magnesium HMB is a critical mineral involved in many aspects of our health. Low levels have been linked to several conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes.