Did You Know Insulin Resistance is Reversible?

✨ Insulin resistance is reversible ✨

Insulin resistance means that the cells in the body have become less responsive to insulin, which leads to elevated blood sugar levels. 

If left unchecked, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes. 

That’s why it’s critical to take insulin resistance seriously. Here are some lifestyle changes that can help to reverse insulin resistance. 

Did you ever think of numbers 3 or 4?

1️⃣ Weight Loss

Being overweight or obese is associated with multiple changes in the body (including inflammation and leptin resistance) that contribute to or worsen insulin resistance. Studies show that weight loss is one of the best ways to reverse insulin resistance. 

2️⃣ Exercise

Exercise not only burns energy in the moment to help regulate blood sugar levels but also builds muscle. Muscle cells more effectively burn sugar than fat cells, even at rest. Exercise is essential to reversing insulin resistance. 

3️⃣ Sleep

Didn’t think of this one, did you? Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for increased blood sugar levels, and even one night of a lack of sleep can worsen insulin resistance. 

4️⃣ Clean Living

Minimizing your exposure to toxins supports cellular health! Some pesticides increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and many synthetic chemicals are known to be endocrine disruptors that may contribute to insulin resistance. 

5️⃣ Eat for Blood Sugar Balance

The foods you eat have a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels. You can slow the digestion and absorption of sugars from your food by combining carbohydrates with fats, fiber, and protein. 

I’d love to know if you or somebody you know has taken action to reverse insulin resistance. Drop me a quick comment below ⤵️

3 Overlooked Causes of Insulin Resistance

Before a person ever meets the medical criteria for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, invisible changes are going on in the body—including insulin resistance. 

But here’s the thing. 

Insulin resistance doesn’t just happen out of the blue. It’s not just genetics or fate. 

Here are 3 often overlooked root causes of insulin resistance (and when you discover these things, you have the power to change them!):

1️⃣ Visceral Fat

Fat that builds up around the internal organs (instead of just under the skin) is called visceral fat. The fat cells in visceral fat release hormones and inflammatory chemicals that drive insulin resistance. The biggest outward clue that visceral fat exists is an increase in waist size. 

2️⃣ Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells. They are the place where sugars and other macronutrients are transformed into energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction means that cells cannot burn sugar as well. Mitochondria are highly susceptible to damage from free radicals and toxins, so we can protect them by loading up on antioxidants and supporting detoxification. 

3️⃣ Inflammation

Obesity is associated with a state of low-grade inflammation, which can even affect parts of the brain that produce leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full. If inflammation leads to leptin resistance, then a person might consume more sugar than the body can handle—without feeling full. 

Most people know that being overweight and not exercising can increase the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. 

🧠 Now you know what’s happening at the cellular level in the body. 

And knowledge is power. Because the better we understand the body, the better we are able to support it in returning to health. 

Stay tuned for my next two posts. I’ll be sharing lifestyle changes to reverse insulin resistance and some of my favorite supplements for blood sugar support. 

The Invisible Condition that Comes BEFORE Diabetes…

🤔 Most people think that if they don’t have diabetes, they don’t have to worry about their blood sugar. 

That’s not actually true. 

Have you heard of insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond to insulin (the hormone that allows sugar to enter cells). 

That means sugar cannot effectively enter the cells to be burned for energy. Which means… 

🩸 Blood sugar starts to creep higher, especially after eating carbohydrates or sweets. 

Insulin resistance is usually present in prediabetes and can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes, but it can exist long before a diabetes diagnosis. The trickiest part?

There usually are no obvious symptoms. 

But there are definitely some clues that are often associated with insulin resistance, like:

😬 Abdominal weight gain (around the waist)

🍭 Sugar and carb cravings

😴 Crashing after eating sweets

It’s important to know that a person does not have to be overweight to have insulin resistance! The only way to know for sure is to look for subtle changes in bloodwork. 

Ready for the good news?

Insulin resistance is reversible 🎉

👀 Watch for my upcoming posts where I’ll be taking a deep dive into the root causes of insulin resistance, lifestyle changes to help reverse it, and supplements to support healthy blood sugar levels.