Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is a physiological condition where the natural hormone, insulin, becomes less effective at lowering blood sugars. The resulting increase in blood glucose may raise levels outside the normal range and cause adverse health effects.

Insulin resistance is a greatly misunderstood health problem. Many people have the mistaken belief that insulin resistance only happens in those who are overweight or in those who eat too many sweets, or that it leads inevitably to diabetes, or that there is nothing they can do about it if they’re insulin resistant. While it’s true that all kinds of people are insulin resistant — or well on their way — the wonderful news is that insulin resistance is something we can prevent and even reverse naturally.

Certain cell types such as fat and muscle cells require insulin to absorb glucose. When these cells fail to respond adequately to circulating insulin, blood glucose levels rise. The liver helps regulate glucose levels by reducing its secretion of glucose in the presence of insulin. This normal reduction in the liver’s glucose production may not occur in people with insulin resistance.

If insulin spikes too often from a diet rich in the high-carb foods that trigger insulin secretion, your cells respond by decreasing the reactivity and number of insulin receptors on their surfaces. Eventually, this prevents glucose from getting into your cells, leading to high blood sugar and depriving your cells of the energy they need to function. This is why many people with insulin resistance experience carbohydrate cravings, fatigue and weight-gain — their cells are literally starving for energy, even when plenty of glucose is available in the blood. Down the road, your body’s capacity to generate insulin appropriately becomes depleted, and the result is type 2 diabetes.

The bigger problem is that insulin resistance lies at one end of a spectrum of related disorders called metabolic syndrome, a serious health challenge that takes on many different forms in the 21st century, leading not just to diabetes but a whole host of equally or even more problematic health conditions. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the signals your body sends you when it is dealing with insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes are on the rise in large part because of the food we eat — and our lack of movement. Our early ancestors focused on hunting and gathering food. This simple act involved two key elements: they were obtaining whole foods straight from their environment and getting a lot of exercise in the process.  Today we sit at our desks and in our cars for so much of the day, and food is abundantly available.  Research is mounting that shows how foods high in refined carbohydrates, preservatives, pesticides, trans fats, toxins and super sugars like high-fructose corn syrup all contribute to insulin resistance.

Key to change is to seek out whole foods, fresh from the source, foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates and nutrients — in short, foods that take time to digest and allow for a more gradual, gentler rise in insulin levels. Incorporating daily exercise is another way to reverse or prevent insulin resistance because it increases the insulin receptors on your cells. And there are many other natural options available for improving insulin regulation and sustaining a healthy metabolism.