Understanding Insulin Resistance

With obesity being such a big epidemic in America today, it is amazing that not more people are aware of what insulin resistance is. Some call is pre-diabetes. It is a component of Syndrome X. It is more common than one might think. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body does not efficiently use insulin. This in turn causes your pancreas to make more insulin to regulate blood sugar. If you are a sufferer of insulin resistance and you eat foods high in carbohydrates, five times more insulin than what is normal is needed to bring down your blood sugar to a healthy, normal level.

Syndrome X is also called Metabolic Syndrome. Syndrome X is a combination of problems. Insulin resistance, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and excess body fat are some of the health problems that one could have if they were diagnosed with Syndrome X. A person with Syndrome X is at an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. Insulin resistance can lead to diabetes if not cared for properly. This would be Type Two Diabetes. This type of diabetes usually runs in families. Studies have shown that diabetes can be in the making up to seven years prior to it being clinically diagnosed. Many people with insulin resistance can prevent the onset of diabetes by using diet and exercise and sometimes medications to ward it off.

Blood tests can prove if a person has insulin resistance. Fasting blood glucose levels should be checked. If this tests proves to be higher than normal, a three hour glucose test would be done. This is when your fasting glucose test is done and then you are given a glucose drink and your blood is taken again at one hour after drinking the drink, two hours after and three hours after. That is a total of four blood tests. These tests show how your body handles glucose each hour up to three hours after the drink is done. Some other blood tests may be taken as well at the same time such as cholesterol levels or other hormone levels just to be sure.

If you do have insulin resistance, there are a few things that you can do to help yourself stay off of synthetic medications and ensure that it does not develop further into diabetes or even Syndrome X. Diet and exercise are usually the first thing that gets changed. You should be exercising at least thirty minutes a day or more. Your diet should be a diet that is lower in carbohydrates with more lower glycemic index foods. Natural supplements can also be helpful. Chromium, magnesium and vanadium are all natural supplements that can help stabilize blood sugar. If prescription drugs are necessary, metformin or avandia might be suggested. That is usually only a last resort or in a more severe case of insulin resistance. Diet and exercise are usually the first attempt, before prescription medications need to come into play.

There are many different diets that can be beneficial to someone with insulin resistance. There is a diet that is actually called The Insulin Resistance Diet. They claim that the link and balance method works because you will include a protein every time you eat. Mixing proteins with other foods, such as carbohydrates, helps to lower the insulin's reaction to the other foods. The Glycemic Index Diet is another one that claims it can help insulin resistance. The Glycemic Index is a food ranking system based on the immediate effect that the food has on blood sugar levels. There are many different resources out there to help you find a diet that will work for you and keep you from becoming a diabetic in the future.

Many woman have a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is also caused by insulin resistance. Infertility can be a problem that is caused by the insulin resistance. Women with PCOS often have polycystic ovaries, irregular menstrual cycles, insulin resistance and many other health problems. The insulin resistance can cause the cycle irregularities which in turn causes the infertility. Many women with PCOS are put on metformin and that regulates not only blood sugar and insulin but also menstrual cycles. This is one remedy to the infertility problem as well as the insulin problems. If a woman becomes pregnant, her insulin resistance can turn into gestational diabetes. Women that have gestational diabetes are more at risk for developing diabetes later in life. Precautions should be taken and taken seriously. A pregnant woman with gestational diabetes also runs the risk of having a large baby.

I was diagnosed with insulin resistance and PCOS about five years ago. I have stayed on my lower carbohydrate diet and I exercise daily and I have not had any problems with my insulin or my cycles at all. I struggled with infertility problems when trying to conceive my second child due to the insulin resistance but did finally conceive. About ten months after giving birth, I found myself pregnant again without even trying. This is because my insulin was in a good place after giving birth. Six months after that baby was born, I found myself pregnant again, without trying. This is due to the fact that I made a lifestyle change and stuck with it. I am now the mother to four wonderful children and I am healthy. I am at a healthy weight and I am active. My children are benefiting from a mother than can run with them as well as feed them appropriately to ensure that they don't have these problems later in their lives.

If insulin resistance is caught early, it can be reversed. Lifestyle changes are critical. Diet and exercise are the easiest ways to reverse the diagnosis and ensure that it does not go any further, into diabetes. Keeping your insulin and blood sugar regulated can mean that you will also lose weight. Health is a very important component to life so take it seriously. Education is the key. Making necessary changes to your life is also an important factor. Diet and exercise are the easiest ways to change things. Stick with it and believe in yourself.