Principles On How To Reverse Insulin Resistance

By Serena Price


Insulin is a peptide hormone responsible for regulating the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats in the body. It facilitates absorption of glucose from blood into tissues and organs such as skeletal muscle, the liver and adipose tissue. The hormone is produced by special cells, the islets of Langerhans, in the pancreas. To reverse insulin resistance, one must have adequate knowledge on the same, including its causes and symptoms.

The mechanisms involved in hormone resistance are a bit complicated for the layman to understand but the main thing that you need to know is that resistance occurs when the amount of hormone produced does not meet the demands of the body. This can also be termed as relative insulin deficiency. It is a typical occurrence in type two diabetes. The commonest cause of this occurrence is a change in hormone receptors.

Deficiency of this hormone may go unnoticed over a long period of time. A few constitutional signs may be seen in the beginning but this is just for a few of the cases. Such symptoms include weight gain, frequent urination, depression, fatigue and so on. A laboratory test may be more helpful as it may help reveal elevated levels of blood sugar or acidosis.

What are the causes of resistance? When blood sugar concentration goes up, more hormone is produced. Increased production of the hormone impacts negatively on hormone binding, such that receptors become more reluctant. An increased blood sugar level therefore forms the basis for the aetiology. These include excessive consumption of sugary foods, stress, caffeine, alcohol among many other toxins.

One of the strategies that you may implement is to cut down on your intake of carbohydrates. This will ensure that your blood sugar does not rise to very high levels. Substitute these foods with more fats and proteins which have less sugar content. Apart from controlling the hormone levels, other parameters such as blood pressure and triglycerides are also lowered.

Another important strategy is the use of physical exercise. Taking part in exercise at least 3 days a week helps in burning excess glucose. Brief periods of exercise also stimulate the autonomic nervous system to release adrenaline which facilitates glucagon action by the liver. Glucagon is a hormone that opposes a fall in blood glucose levels.

Exercise and diet have to be used in combination to enhance reversal. Exercise alone can be hectic since continuous work out will be required to burn out the daily intake of carbohydrates. Drinking alcohol and caffeine and cigarette smoking is also discouraged since these substances stimulate the liver to secrete glucose into blood. Getting enough sleep a day is also important. A minimum of eight hours a day is recommended. Stress can be avoided or managed through meditation and deep breathing exercises.

A comprehensive nutritional program is inevitable as one of the most important ways to reverse insulin resistance. Most vital supplements include vitamin B6, chromium and glutamine. These not only help in adjusting blood sugar levels but also in changing the diet. Other crucial supplements include vitamins B, C and E, magnesium and manganese. The best diet for reversal is one with adequate lean meat, fish, eggs, non starchy vegetables and clean water.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment