Insulin resistance is a critical health issue that often flies under the radar. While heart disease is the leading cause of death, it’s insulin resistance that frequently underlies heart disease, strokes, cancers, and other inflammatory conditions. Let’s dive into what insulin resistance is, why it matters, and what you can do about it.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance occurs when your body’s cells don’t respond effectively to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- When you eat, your pancreas releases insulin to help absorb sugar from your bloodstream into muscle, fat, and liver cells.
- If blood sugar levels are chronically elevated, your body may require more insulin to have the same effect – similar to how a drug addict needs more of a substance over time.
- You can be insulin resistant without any obvious symptoms, as it’s often a leading indicator of health issues.
Why Should You Care?
Insulin resistance is associated with a host of health problems:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Various cancers
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Increased all-cause mortality
Perhaps most alarmingly, over 88% of the population may not be metabolically healthy based on factors like blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, or waist circumference.
Risk Factors and Signs
Some key risk factors and signs of insulin resistance include:
- Waist measurement of 40 inches or more for men
- Inactivity and obesity
- High triglyceride to HDL ratio
- Abdominal fat
It’s important to note that you can have insulin resistance without being overweight, and it can affect children if they share similar lifestyle factors as their parents.
How to Prevent or Reverse Insulin Resistance
The good news is that insulin resistance can often be prevented or reversed. Here are some strategies:
- Exercise: Both resistance training and regular activity (like walking) can improve insulin sensitivity.
- Diet: Focus on whole foods like meat, eggs, dairy, and vegetables. Reduce processed foods, added sugars, and refined grains.
- Fasting: Some studies show promising results for improving insulin sensitivity.
- Sun exposure: May help decrease insulin resistance and triglycerides.
- Weight management: Shedding excess weight can significantly improve metabolic health.
The Role of Diet
Your food choices play a crucial role in managing insulin resistance:
- Diets high in protein are inversely correlated with insulin resistance.
- Added sugar and refined grains are closely linked to insulin resistance.
- Be cautious with seed oils (canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, etc.) which have high omega-6 to omega-3 ratios and may contribute to inflammation.
- Consider reducing carbohydrate intake, especially if you have diagnosed insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes.
The Power of Lifestyle Changes
Remember, reversing insulin resistance is possible with the right approach:
- Start resistance training to build and maintain muscle mass.
- Incorporate regular walking, especially before or after meals.
- Choose whole, unprocessed foods over packaged and refined options.
- Stay active throughout the day – take stairs, bike, play with your kids.
Conclusion
Understanding and addressing insulin resistance is crucial for long-term health. By making informed lifestyle choices, you can significantly improve your metabolic health and reduce your risk of various chronic diseases.
Remember, while this information provides a general overview, it’s always best to consult with healthcare professionals for personalized advice tailored to your specific health situation.
Disclaimer: This blog post is based on information from a Twitter thread and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise routine.