The Causes of Insulin Resistance
Poor diet, lack of exercise and perhaps stress, can be the start of insulin resistance in the body. Other reasons could be hormone in-balance and increased dieting. With insulin resistance the body fails to respond to the hormone insulin.
Insulin is produced by the pancreas and helps with the regulation of blood sugar. If your body is experiencing insulin resistance, then your body stops responding to the insulin and does not convert glucose for use by muscles and tissues. The body continues to produce insulin which in turn causes elevated insulin, thus the name insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance can cause:
Weight gain (especially belly fat)
Irritability
Fatigue
Depression
Ankles swelling or burning feet
How Functional Medicine Treats Insulin Resistance
A Functional Medicine Practitioner will seek to uncover the root cause of why a person has insulin resistance.
Key areas to start with would include:
Full health history (from birth to present)
Prenatal history if available
All medications
Diet
Medications are important to look at because of the impact the medication could have on nutrient depletion or how the medication could change the physiology of the body.
An example of a medication depleting a nutrient is when a person take’s a Statin to lower cholesterol there is a chance it will also deplete CoQ10. A person could begin to have high and low blood sugar with blood sugar medications if they have not changed their diet or if they are over medicated.
Where to Start
With diet it is again an individualized approach, however you want to target:
Individualized Food Plan
Low Glycemic Index
High in Fiber
Low in Simple Sugar
Quality Fats
Foods to Reduce Insulin Resistance
Phytonutrients: Fenugreek seeds, cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon, isoflavones from soybeans, beta glucan from oats and barley can all help with lowering blood sugar
Macronutrients: Protein Carbohydrates
Fats: Legumes, Dairy/Dairy Alternatives, Nuts and Seeds, Non-Starchy Vegetables
Starches, Fruits, Whole Grains
The Benefits of Controlling Insulin Resistance
By lowering your risk of developing insulin resistance, you in turn decrease your risk of cardiac symptoms. Losing weight, especially belly fat, is key to improving heart health, reducing blood pressure and lowering inflammation in the body.
Dietary changes along with exercise are key to reducing your risk or reversing insulin resistance.
Talk to a registered dietitian/functional medicine provider to discuss a food plan.
Check out the Instagram post this week on stuffed mushrooms that will be loaded with fiber is a low glycemic index recipe.
Until next time...remember to eat healthy and move.
Tina