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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Options On How To Reverse Insulin Resistance

By Patty Goff


Insulin resistance is perhaps the biggest risk factor of type 2 diabetes identified so far. In general the condition is asymptomatic and most people only realize that they have it when they progress to diabetes. Recognizing the condition in time provides room for timely intervention and halts the likelihood of its progression to diabetes. There are a number of tips on how to reverse insulin resistance.

The condition can be tackled by a multi-pronged approach. Various strategies that may be adopted include physical exercise, dietary modification, use of supplements and stress of reduction. Although the approaches may be used singly with success, it has been shown that using two or more of them tends to be more effective. All these strategies work to help in the reduction in oxidative stress, reduction in inflammatory changes in the body and increased liver detoxification.

The first thing that you need to do is to identify the foods that need to be reduced in the diet and those that should be increased. This may mean that you work very closely with your nutritionist. In general, the intake of carbohydrates should be reduced significantly. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose which usually accumulates in the body in the absence of insulin hormone.

Cutting down on carbohydrate intake helps reduce the amount of glucose produced from metabolism and lowers the risk of progression to diabetes. Carbohydrates fall in the category of foods that are regarded as being highly glycaemic. Proteins, fruits and vegetables, on the other hand are low glycaemic. These are the foods that should take a larger proportion of the diet.

Physical exercise has a major role to play. As we exercise, the energy requirements of individual cells and the body as a whole increase. Effectively, more glucose is used up and this serves to reduce its levels in circulation. Exercise has also been shown to help in the redistribution of adipose tissue and this helps in weight control. Small amounts of intense physical exercise are better than low intensity endurance routines.

Psychological stress is another important cause of hormonal resistance and diabetes. The hormone cortisol is usually produced in stressful situations. Cortisol is a pro-metabolic hormone that causes an increase in the amount of circulating glucose among other things. If the levels of cortisol are elevated for long periods of time, the risk for hormonal resistance increases significantly. Engaging in relaxation exercises helps reduce this risk.

There are a number of supplements said to be helpful. Magnesium supplements are among those that have been widely studied. They are said to facilitate fat digestion and increase insulin sensitivity. Other important supplements include the vitamin B complex, calcium and chromium. The exact mechanisms involved remain largely unclear.

Pharmacotherapy options are often considered when the natural options fail. There are many different classes of drugs available for the condition all with varying degrees of successes. Commonly, drugs from different classes are combined to enhance their effect. The common denominator in all their actions is a reduction in the amount of blood glucose levels.




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