Insulin resistance….. Do I have it?
Maybe it is Insulin Resistance?
Have you been feeling fatigued, have put on weight around your middle, sleep issues, mood swings, hungry all the time?
Have you heard of insulin resistance … these symptoms are common when you have insulin resistance!
In my blog on hormones and weight gain (read here) I briefly touched on insulin resistance and weight! In this blog I will delve more deeply into this topic and its link to weight gain and difficulty in losing weight.
So, what is insulin and what does it do? Insulin is a hormone which helps blood glucose to enter your cells and depending on the amount of glucose in the bloodstream will decide how much insulin is secreted. Insulin is also the main fat storage hormone in the body so if you struggle with pesky weight gain then abnormal insulin levels may be the culprit.
When you have insulin resistance, your insulin is not as effective at helping blood glucose get into the cells and then both insulin and glucose levels become elevated leading to that pesky weigh gain!
When insulin resistance occurs, the pancreas works harder and releases 3-4 times more insulin than normal to reduce blood glucose. It then moves the blood glucose into the cells to be used for energy so when this process is not as effective it could be one of the reasons you may be experiencing fatigue! Also, the high levels of glucose in the blood can damage small blood vessels, particularly those in the eyes and kidneys because glucose molecules are quite large. This is one of the reasons that people who have type 2 diabetes often have eye and kidney disorders!
As mentioned earlier, insulin is known as the “fat storage hormone” so when there are increased levels in the blood, the body will store more fat and rates of fat breakdown are decreased – a vicious cycle when you are trying to lose weight and reduce body fat!
What about sleep – how does glucose/insulin levels impact on sleep? Research has shown that sleep deprivation can increase your risk of developing insulin resistance! And just as poor sleep can affect blood sugar levels, when you have high blood sugar levels this negatively influences your sleep quality. A double whammy … but can you see how you need to prioritise your sleep!
Chronic stress also increases your risk of developing insulin resistance. Cortisol (another hormone) is normally released by your body however with chronic stress the amount increases and is constant. Cortisol and insulin work together – when one is high the other will increase - causing weight gain around your abdomen, blood sugar dysregulation and sleep issues, making it the perfect storm for developing insulin resistance!
Blood sugar fluctuations also influence your mood - not just in people with insulin resistance but in otherwise healthy individuals who consume a diet high in refined carbohydrates. Higher blood glucose (hyperglycaemia) has been linked with anger or sadness, while blood sugar dips (hypoglycaemia) has been linked with anxiety.
When you eat, your blood sugar fluctuates, and this is normal. It becomes a problem though when you eat a diet high in refined carbohydrates on a regular basis as your fluctuations can become more extreme! When your blood sugar levels fall below what is normal for you, your body will signal that it’s time to eat, so if you are having wild fluctuations, you will feel hungry all the time, even after just eating… oh no!... more food often equals more insulin and more fat storage - a not so happy cycle!
So you find yourself making poorer foods choices, such as more refined carbohydrates – sound familiar – creating a cycle of extreme blood sugar fluctuations with intense hunger signals making you feel like you are hungry all the time!
What can you do about insulin resistance?? Firstly, get tested to ensure that this is what is causing your symptoms. At Pretty Simple Nutrition we can organise this testing for you.
Eating a healthy wholefoods diet, with no more than 3 meals daily plus the inclusion of a brisk walk, particularly after meals may help to stabilise your blood glucose and insulin levels. Adding in some resistance training such as Pilates, yoga, working with weights helps with increasing muscle mass which improves insulin sensitivity. Weight loss can help, however sometimes a standard weight loss diet is not enough, and you may need to get support from a qualified practitioner.
If you are interested in a personalised nutrition plan and support to improve your metabolic health, book in a FREE discovery call today. Together we will uncover the reason you are struggling to lose weight and develop a plan to restore balance to your body.
Tags: metabolic health, insulin, energy, glucose, cravings, weight gain, insulin resistance, weight loss
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