What One Can Do To Reverse Insulin Resistance

By Michelle Myers


Insulin is one of the most important hormones in the process of metabolism. When insufficient in amount or when the body cannot utilize it, the control of blood sugar levels is compromised. This has the potential to cause both acute and chronic complications. Insulin resistance is a phenomenon that occurs when insulin is adequate but cannot stimulate its receptors. It is a common cause of type 2 diabetes. There are a number of ways on how to reverse insulin resistance.

One of the first steps that one has to undertake is to modify the diet. The amount of carbohydrates should be reduced as much as possible because they are a direct source of glucose once they have been metabolized. They may result in persistent high levels of blood sugar and increase the risk of hormonal resistance. The general advice is that carbohydrates should be about one third of the meal.

Compared to highly refined carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables have a comparatively lower glycemic index. This means that their ability to increase the blood sugar levels is a lot less than that associated with carbohydrates. The amount of these foods in the diet should be increased. Supplements such as calcium, multivitamins, chromium, fish oil and magnesium should also be increased. Many of them greatly aid in digestion and prevent abnormal increases in the glucose levels.

Physical exercise also has an important role to play. The benefits are mainly two fold. The first is that it helps to reduce the amount of central abdominal fat. Central abdominal fat is a predisposing factor for many metabolic conditions including diabetes mellitus. Another major benefit of exercise is the fact that it increases the utilization of glucose by contractile muscles which in turn reduces the levels in circulation.

Stress is a cause of fluctuations in blood glucose and should be avoided as much as possible. If not managed in time, it may keep the levels high in susceptible individuals and predispose to insulin resistance and by extension, diabetes. Increased levels of a hormone referred to as cortisol are one of the main contributing factors. Regular relaxation through techniques such as biofeedback, meditation and yoga is usually helpful.

Related to stress control is the need for adequate quality sleep. It is increasingly becoming evident that poor quality of sleep is a predisposing factor to diabetes mellitus. Some of the causes of inadequate sleep include long working hours, obstructive sleep apnea and noisy sleeping environments among others. The target should be to sleep for at least 6 hours every night in a serene environment.

Drugs are often considered for resistance reversal if the other methods fail to yield the desired results. The drugs used here are of varied types. Biguanides (metformin, for example) are among those that are used commonly. Their main mechanism of action is the stimulation of the insulin receptors. Another group is the thiazolidinediones. These work by increasing cellular response to glucose.

Among the leading causes of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. This phenomenon is seen when the cells fail to respond to insulin in spite of the latter being present in the body in adequate amounts. There are several things that can be done so as to reverse this condition. They include regular physical exercise, stress reduction and diet modification among others.




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