insulin

Blog, Signs and Symptoms

12 Signs That You May be Insulin Resistant

Insulin is the hormone that facilitates the transport of glucose, or blood sugar, from the bloodstream and into the body’s cells to use for energy. After eating a meal, in response to the normal increase in blood sugar, the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream. If you become insulin resistant, the normal amount of insulin that’s secreted isn’t sufficient enough to carry blood sugar into the cells, so to compensate the pancreas continues to increase the amount of insulin secreted to help maintain adequate glucose movement into the cells, and a healthy blood sugar level.

If that sounds a bit too complicated, it can be summed up simply by saying, when insulin resistance occurs, your blood sugar level rises.

The problems with insulin resistance

While most people connect diabetes to the word insulin, problems with insulin can result in multiple different conditions in those with normal blood sugar levels, including:

  • heart attack
  • stroke
  • fatty liver
  • obesity
  • high cholesterol
  • high blood pressure

Being insulin resistant can also lead to the development of prediabetes or full on diabetes.

Prediabetes typically occurs in those who are already insulin resistant – while the condition alone doesn’t cause type 2 diabetes directly, it can set the stage for the disease due to the high demands it places on cells that produce insulin. When one has prediabetes, their cells are no longer able to produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance, resulting in blood glucose levels that are higher than normal.

Once someone has prediabetes, the continued loss of that proper cell functioning typically leads to type 2 diabetes, and over time, that can cause serious complications like stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, lower limb amputations and blindness.

12 signs you may be insulin resistant

Obviously, no one wants to be insulin resistant, but frighteningly one in three Americans are said to be affected by this condition, which happens to correlate with the country’s dismal rates of obesity – currently at 34.9 percent.

By being aware of the signs of insulin resistance, you can take action now, before it’s too late.

Obesity. Obesity, as noted, and especially abdominal obesity is a sign of being insulin resistant. That’s because that as your waist gets larger, insulin isn’t able to work in the body as it should, ultimately causing levels of this hormone to rise.

Sleepiness after a meal. As insulin is unable to do its job properly, your cells aren’t receiving the fuel they need, resulting in fatigue and sometimes extreme sleepiness especially after eating.

Craving carbohydrate-rich foods. If you’re insulin resistant, you may feel hungry constantly, and as carbs tend to be especially satisfying to an insatiable appetite, this is what you crave most often.

Brain fog. If you have an inability to focus, or trouble thinking, insulin resistance could be the cause. That’s because cells in the brain known as “microglia,” release inflammatory messages when you have the condition, creating a vicious cycle of brain fog that not only muddies the thoughts but can destroy brain tissue.

Complexion problems. If you have acne and large pores on your face, it could be because being insulin resistant promotes higher levels of testosterone and increased the sensitivity of the face to the male hormone, which makes you more susceptible to acne.

High blood pressure. Many people with hypertension are either pre-diabetic or diabetic, and have higher insulin levels due to insulin resistance as one of the insulin’s effects is to control arterial wall tension.

Elevated blood sugar levels. Having a fasting blood glucose level over 95mg/dL indicates insulin resistance. Studies have shown that those with a fasting blood sugar level in the upper limit of normal range (95 to 99mg/dL), were 2.33 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who tested at less than 85mg/dL.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome. This common endocrine system disorder among women of reproductive age is often linked to higher insulin levels.

Male pattern hair loss in women. Rendering insulin ineffective affects multiple body processes, including hair growth. A study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Risk found that women with some markers of insulin resistance have a greater risk for androgenic alopecia or female pattern baldness.

Swollen ankles. Because insulin sends a message to your kidneys to hold onto water and sodium, you’ll look puffier, and may notice swollenness in the ankles as well the fingers, face, abdomen or other parts of the body.

Increased blood triglyceride levels. While having high triglycerides doesn’t cause diabetes, it does indicate insulin resistance, and that your system isn’t working properly when it comes to turning food into energy. When your cells don’t let insulin into your cells, both glucose and triglycerides build up in the blood.

Depression. Depression can be due to “deranged metabolism” that results from insulin resistance.

What to do now if you are insulin resistant

If you’re insulin resistant, the good news is that you can take control by addressing it now.

Lose weight. Even a small amount of weight loss can help to reduce insulin resistance. By following the diet and exercise tips that follow, weight loss is often a natural result.

Change your diet. Restrict your carbohydrate intake by eliminating processed and fast foods, instead focusing on getting your carbs from nuts and seeds, vegetables and small amounts of fruit. Include moderate amounts of healthy fats, from sources like avocados, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil and nuts instead of following a strict low-fat diet. You should also include cold-water fish like wild-caught salmon, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids that can help combat the pro-inflammatory effects of insulin improving the cells’ response to the hormone.

Get regular exercise. Getting regular exercise is a must for a healthy body and mind, as well as combatting insulin resistance. Vigorous cardio exercise helps to decrease the cells’ resistance to insulin. Aim for 30 minutes per day, but if you haven’t been exercising, you’ll need to slowly work up to that amount. Also, don’t forget the value of resistance training. It all matters and will make a huge difference in how your body looks and feels.

-Be Well

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 Blog, Newly Diagnosed

5 Things You Need to Know Now About Blood Sugar

Many people diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes have lots of questions about blood sugar and what raises it. Here are five things that you really need to know about blood sugar.

  • Your blood sugar level is important because it’s your body’s main source of energy. Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas produces which helps sugar move out of the bloodstream, and into the body’s cells where it’s used as energy. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body isn’t making enough insulin, and the insulin that it does produce doesn’t work as well as it should.
  • Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is a form of chronic stress which leads to higher blood sugar levels.
  • Artificially-flavored foods or drinks like diet soda can take a negative toll on your blood sugar – studies have shown mice given artificial sweeteners had high blood sugar levels than mice who drank plain water, or even water with sugar.
  • High-fat meals can affect blood sugar to as high levels of fat in the blood harm the body’s ability to clear out sugar.
  • Smoking cigarettes raise blood sugar levels which increase the risk for serious diabetes complications, including stroke and heart attack.

Remember: Eating a varied diet that is loaded with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fat, is a great way to keep your blood sugar balanced.

-Be Well

 

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 Blog, Food

Smash Blood Sugar Spikes with Apple Cider Vinegar

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., and with the latest reports showing the number of Americans estimated to be diagnosed with prediabetes at an astounding 86 million, and a further 29.1 million diagnosed with diabetes, it’s no surprise that there are millions of people who are searching for ways to avoid blood sugar spikes.

If you’re one of those people, you’re probably aware of both the short- and long-term effects of a post-meal blood sugar spike. Some of the more immediate effects can include severe fatigue and tiredness, so much so you that you could find yourself plopping down into a chair and quickly falling asleep. Your vision might blur, and you probably won’t feel very well overall either.

Over the long-term, if those blood sugar spikes continue, your HbA1c level will rise, which has been scientifically shown to increase the risk of some serious complications like heart disease, kidney disease and retinopathy, which can even result in the loss of vision.

One of the most common approaches to lowering blood sugar spikes after a meal is to take more insulin – but unless your blood sugar levels remain high for three to six hours after eating, that’s not going to help, and it will likely result in low blood sugar levels before you get to your next meal.

What you eat is a very important part of controlling blood sugar – in fact, some experts, like Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution, believe that eating the right foods not only help one to manage blood sugar levels, but they may even be able to help reverse diabetes. 

This is where apple cider vinegar comes into play for smashing those blood sugar spikes.

Documented benefits of apple cider vinegar

The benefits of apple cider vinegar have been well-documented. It has no adverse side effects, and it costs considerably less than most conventional treatments. Vinegars of all types have long been popular for use as a weight loss aid, as they help make you feel fuller. One study found that participants who ate a slice of bread along with apple cider vinegar felt fuller than those who ate bread alone.

A study conducted out of the University of Arizona discovered that drinking apple cider vinegar before a meal can help reduce the release of sugar into the blood and improve insulin sensitivity.  This is similar to how some diabetes medications are designed. Certain medications block the digestion of starches and sugars. By doing so, they are able to prevent blood sugar spikes, helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Carol Johnston, Professor and Associate Director of the Nutrition Program of Arizona State University, who has been studying the effects of vinegar on blood glucose for more than a decade, says that apple cider vinegar can act like some diabetes medications, helping to block the body’s ability to digest sugar and starch. Her theory, according to an article by NYMag, is that “acetic acid blocks an enzyme that digests starches, thereby preventing some carbs from being absorbed.” 

Blood sugar response involving apple cider vinegar and healthy individuals

Consuming apple cider vinegar has been found to be effective not just in those who’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, but healthy individuals as well. According to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers studied the effects vinegar’s acetic acid on blood glucose response after healthy people ate a meal. They then discovered that the acetic acid had a potent effect on glycemic response, leading the experts to conclude that vinegar can help regulate blood sugar levels whether one is healthy pre-diabetic, or has been diagnosed with diabetes. 

Apple cider vinegar at bedtime

While much of the research on apple cider vinegar has been focused on drinking it before a meal, one study found that taking it just before bedtime was able to help moderate blood sugar upon waking. The study involved 11 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who weren’t taking insulin, but were taking oral anti-diabetic medication. They were given either an ounce of cheese and water, or an ounce of cheese and two tablespoons of vinegar at bedtime each night for two days. Another trial was conducted several days later, in which the two groups were reversed. 

The experts found that those who ingested vinegar and cheese saw a drop in fasting blood glucose levels by 4 percent, compared to 2 percent who received cheese and water. But when the researchers examined the data closer, they discovered that those with the highest fasting glucose levels experienced a more significant difference, with blood glucose levels dropping by 6 percent.

Taking apple cider vinegar to smash your blood sugar spikes

If you’d like to try it, keep in mind that the results can vary from one individual to the next – most studies concerning apple cider vinegar have found that one to two tablespoons are sufficient to receive the benefits.

You may want to experiment by trying both, meaning sipping it just before a meal as well as before bed.

Be sure to use organic, raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar like Bragg’s or Spectrum Naturals. Add a tablespoon to warm, but not too hot, water. If you don’t like the taste, you can add a dash of cinnamon or a teaspoon of raw, organic honey (don’t overdo it, because honey is mostly sugar). If you’re one of the few people that really enjoy the taste of vinegar – don’t be tempted to drink it undiluted as it can cause burns to the sensitive tissues of the throat and mouth.

-Be Well

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