What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance condition is very common today. It is connected with older people who have obesity. Another name for this is diabetes type 2 because it’s not a condition that appears at birth like diabetes type 1, and happens later in life. But there is proof that insulin resistance is very common among young people. Then what actually is insulin resistance?

Main things about insulin resistance

A form of autoimmune disease that happens when there is enough insulin (pancreatic’s hormone produced after a meal) but people lose cell sensitivity to this hormone.

The main reasons that can lead to this condition are stress, long period of glucose spikes, sugar, processed food, and infections. A common reason is constant high insulin in the blood- called hyperinsulinemia.  Most times that can be a sign of insulin resistance in the future and its progress to diabetes. Health issues like heart and blood vessel diseases, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, infections, infertility, and low blood supply to organs are very connected to diabetes.

Recognize this condition!

Some of the symptoms of insulin resistance are:

• weighted gain especially around the belly and can not lose it easily
• high blood pressure
• PCOS
• acanthosis nigricans, especially around the neck
• constant cravings, especially for sugar
• acne
• frequent infections like yeast infections

How to know if you have diabetes type 2?

Go check your labs. You should measure your glucose level in the morning and after your meal, and your insulin level in the morning and after your meal and so do the OGT test (oral glucose tolerance test). Also, complete labs for triglycerides, LDL (elevated), and HDL (lowered)  because they can also show if you could possibly have insulin resistance. All of them are important!

What to do if you have insulin resistants?

The first thing you should do is consult with your doctor about the next step.

This condition doesn’t need to be chronic and leads to diabetes! Here are some solutions that can reverse this state and you can maintain good results.

• First, you should consider your diet. Maybe the best option is to go to a nutrition specialist or try to find out more about low glycemic index diets, Mediterranean diets, and some hacks on how you can lower your glucose spikes which are the most common reason for this condition.
• Second and equally important is physical activity. Few studies showed that the best options are walking or heavy-weight exercises.
• The last option is medications for regulating the glucose levels in the blood. Metformin is the most common for use or today’s alternative with fewer side effects – inositol which is actually a supplement.

Link to our post about how to lower your glucose spikes after meals: Easy ways to regulate the glucose level in the blood!

Hope you find this interesting and helpful.

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Thank you, your Smart Owl.