Hearing the words impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance may seem scary. There are so many people that already have or will hear them. This condition is a pre diabetic condition that can take years to develop. Understanding how the body works to produce insulin and what it is used for can help to stop and reverse insulin resistance and reduce the risk of full scale diabetes.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas in order to transport blood glucose to all cells in the body. It is used to metabolize sugars and carbohydrates to produce energy for cells. When the muscles, fat and liver cells stop responding to insulin, the blood glucose levels increase and stay high. The higher the glucose levels the more the pancreas works to produce this hormone, overworking the pancreas and spiking blood glucose levels.
The actual exact known cause for this condition is not known; however, it has been found that certain medications and genetics contribute to the onset of insulin resistance. It has also been found that there are higher risks for onset in people that have high stress levels, ongoing illnesses, women that are pregnant, people that use steroid and people that are overweight or obese. Other factures that play into this condition are high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglycerides.
There are also some symptoms that can signify insulin resistance that individuals can look for. These symptoms include fatigue, dark patches of skin, memory and thinking not as clear as normal, weigh gain especially in the abdomen, hypertension, hypoglycemia, mood swings, easily agitated and feeling jittery. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should consult with a physician and have their glucose levels tested.
There are steps in which people can prevent or naturally reverse insulin resistance. One of the most common forms of prevention is diet and exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight by regularly exercising and consuming food and beverages low in refined sugars and saturated fats, and high in fiber can help. Food that are at the low end of the glycemic index include such things as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins. Anything with a low glycemic index metabolizes slower and does not require large amounts of the insulin hormone. The less of the hormone that is needed the less the pancreas has to work. One very important point to remember when making a food or beverage choice is that the higher the fiber content the lower on the glycemic index it will fall.
Spikes in blood glucose levels are usually caused by foods that are high on the glycemic index. Sugars and high fructose corn syrup are two ingredients that you need to be aware of. Foods such as sweets, white bread and rice and anything made with white flour should be avoided. Potatoes without the skins are very high on the glycemic index; however if you leave the skins on they fall lower on the index. Whenever you consume any of these foods do it in very small quantities but the best thing to do is avoid them completely.
The best way to prevent diabetes or impaired glucose levels is to make sure you consume a low glycemic diet, maintain a healthy weight, manage stress levels and exercise regularly. These are areas you can control when trying to reduce the risk for this condition; however there is one area no one can control and that is genetics.
Understanding the way the body works and how it uses the hormone can aid in prevention and to reverse insulin resistance. Everyone needs to be conscious of this condition and know how to handle it. It may not be present at the moment but in the future as you get older there are no guarantees that you may not be one of the millions faced with this precursor to a bigger and more complicated disease. Take care of your body, eat healthy and you may be able to prevent this unwanted visitor.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas in order to transport blood glucose to all cells in the body. It is used to metabolize sugars and carbohydrates to produce energy for cells. When the muscles, fat and liver cells stop responding to insulin, the blood glucose levels increase and stay high. The higher the glucose levels the more the pancreas works to produce this hormone, overworking the pancreas and spiking blood glucose levels.
The actual exact known cause for this condition is not known; however, it has been found that certain medications and genetics contribute to the onset of insulin resistance. It has also been found that there are higher risks for onset in people that have high stress levels, ongoing illnesses, women that are pregnant, people that use steroid and people that are overweight or obese. Other factures that play into this condition are high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglycerides.
There are also some symptoms that can signify insulin resistance that individuals can look for. These symptoms include fatigue, dark patches of skin, memory and thinking not as clear as normal, weigh gain especially in the abdomen, hypertension, hypoglycemia, mood swings, easily agitated and feeling jittery. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should consult with a physician and have their glucose levels tested.
There are steps in which people can prevent or naturally reverse insulin resistance. One of the most common forms of prevention is diet and exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight by regularly exercising and consuming food and beverages low in refined sugars and saturated fats, and high in fiber can help. Food that are at the low end of the glycemic index include such things as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins. Anything with a low glycemic index metabolizes slower and does not require large amounts of the insulin hormone. The less of the hormone that is needed the less the pancreas has to work. One very important point to remember when making a food or beverage choice is that the higher the fiber content the lower on the glycemic index it will fall.
Spikes in blood glucose levels are usually caused by foods that are high on the glycemic index. Sugars and high fructose corn syrup are two ingredients that you need to be aware of. Foods such as sweets, white bread and rice and anything made with white flour should be avoided. Potatoes without the skins are very high on the glycemic index; however if you leave the skins on they fall lower on the index. Whenever you consume any of these foods do it in very small quantities but the best thing to do is avoid them completely.
The best way to prevent diabetes or impaired glucose levels is to make sure you consume a low glycemic diet, maintain a healthy weight, manage stress levels and exercise regularly. These are areas you can control when trying to reduce the risk for this condition; however there is one area no one can control and that is genetics.
Understanding the way the body works and how it uses the hormone can aid in prevention and to reverse insulin resistance. Everyone needs to be conscious of this condition and know how to handle it. It may not be present at the moment but in the future as you get older there are no guarantees that you may not be one of the millions faced with this precursor to a bigger and more complicated disease. Take care of your body, eat healthy and you may be able to prevent this unwanted visitor.
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