Insulin is a hormone that is release in response to high blood sugar levels – essential to fuelling the cells in our body. However, if this response is blunted, it can cause long-term issues in our body.
This article outlines what insulin resistance is, the conditions associated and our top 5 dietary and lifestyle tips.
What is Insulin Resistance?
To understand insulin resistance, we must first understand the action of insulin. Once we consume food, it enters our body and gets broken down into glucose molecules. The presence of glucose in our bloodstream stimulates the pancreas to release insulin.
You can think of insulin as the key that unlocks the cells of our liver, muscles and fat tissue which stores away this glucose so that the cells can use it for energy. However, when we have too high levels of glucose in the blood, the response of insulin can be blunted causing the pancreas to produce more insulin to attempt to keep these blood levels stable. Eventually, our cells may be completely blunted to the action of insulin – hence, insulin resistance or hyperglycaemia is developed.
The typical Western diet has been suggested responsible for this, as it is generally high in saturated fat and sugar. However, other risks of insulin resistance occurrence are those who are overweight, obese and/or physically inactive, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and those with a family history of diabetes.
What Conditions are associated with Insulin Resistance?
Your body likes being within a tight range of glucose levels in the blood – i.e. blood glucose homeostasis. This is because both too high and too low blood glucose levels can be dangerous to the body.
However, the long-term ramifications of insulin resistance can be more serious. Insulin resistance maintains high glucose levels on pancreatic cells and in the bloodstream. The pancreas responds by secreting more insulin into the bloodstream. However, when the pancreas stops producing insulin and glucose levels remain high in the blood it can lead to prediabetes and the development of type 2 diabetes.
The potential warning signs that you have developed type 2 diabetes includes:
- Fatigue
- Extreme thirst or hunger
- Blurred vision
- Increased urination
- Delay in wound healing
5 Best Dietary and Lifestyle Tips
The goal when implementing food and lifestyle changes is to regulate and maintain blood sugar levels. Here are our 5 best dietary and lifestyle tips to help support insulin sensitivity and further reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes:
1. Increase your consumption of fibre-rich fruits and veggies.
Fibre is your best friend when it comes to reducing the effects of insulin-resistance in your body. It helps to slow down the digestion of food, which allows for more time for the pancreas to release insulin and increase uptake into our body cells (1). Fibre also acts as a ‘bulking agent’ which helps you to feel fuller with a lower caloric intake.
Additionally, fruits and vegetables are full of micronutrients which are essential for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
2. Reduce your intake of sugar & high GI carbs.
As sugar and high GI carbohydrates rapidly increase your blood sugar levels, it should be a given that these should be reduced in your diet. However if you need more convincing, studies have shown that reducing intake of simple sugars and high GI carbs has been associated in significant improvements of lipid levels within those with Type 2 Diabetes (2).
Examples of high GI carbohydrates include potato, white rice, rice crackers, white and whole wheat bread, dried fruit, cereals and some fruit such as watermelon and pineapple.
3. Pair carbohydrates with fats, fibre & protein to slow the absorption.
Food combination is such a handy technique when it comes to controlling our metabolism. Instead of cutting out all carbs, simply pair them with the super combo of fats, fibre and protein to slow the absorption and hence prevent that rapid spike in blood sugar levels.
This is such an awesome hack! Because let’s face it, a life without carbs isn’t one I’m willing to take apart of… sorry to my keto and low-carb friends.
4. Move your body.
Regular physical activity stabilises your bodies blood sugar levels through improving insulin sensitivity in the muscles. It does this by increasing the number of our mitochondria in our cells which essentially help us turn food into energy (3).
Additionally, exercise aids in fat loss, which is also associated with improved insulin sensitivity (3).
5. Maintain a healthy sleep routine.
Maintaining a healthy sleep routine is important for regulating our food intake, our energy expenditure and whole-body insulin sensitivity (4). Disturbed sleep, or an irregular circadian rhythm can therefore increase our insulin sensitivity as a whole and drive overconsumption of food.
To maintain a healthy sleep routine, ensure that you are maintaining a regular eating pattern and reducing your exposure to bright light in the evenings.
What to do now?
Whilst insulin resistance can be a difficult condition to deal with, there are an abundance of lifestyle factors that you can implement to help support your health and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Weight loss may also help to reverse insulin resistance if done through the right way.
If you feel as though you need some assistance with managing your insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes or weight loss in general, book an Initial Nutrition Consultation to kickstart your health journey.
Written by:
Mollie Caughey-Wade,
Clinical Nutritionist (BSc).