Dealing with insulin resistance may be one piece of the puzzle impacting your overall health and wellbeing by presenting itself in various symptoms such as chronic fatigue, difficulty losing weight, mood swings, and low energy. Working with a functional practitioner will help to address the root causes of your symptoms.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance happens when the body is de-sensitized to the action of insulin which results in elevated fasting insulin. It is produced by specialized cells called β-cells in the in the pancreas and secreted in response to elevated blood sugar levels. It’s main function is to regulate glucose levels within a narrow range. Insulin binds to cellular insulin receptors which signals glucose to be taken up into various types of cells (such as skeletal muscle or liver tissue) thus removing it the bloodstream. Ingested carbohydrates stimulate insulin production.
The Role of Insulin
Insulin is a hormone that allows blood sugar to be utilized by muscle, liver, and fat cells throughout the body.
Common Symptoms of Insulin Resistance
- Chronic fatigue
- Difficulty losing weight
- Mood swings
- Low energy
Root Causes of Insulin Resistance
- Chronic stress
- Gut dysbiosis (microbial imbalance in the gut microbiome)
- Chronic inflammation
- Poor sleep
- Sedentary lifestyle
Labs To Assess
- Fasting Insulin: insulin levels tell a lot about the efficiency with which a person can metabolize carbohydrates. Fasting insulin levels are inversely correlated to insulin sensitivity. So the higher the insulin level, the less sensitive a person is to the glucose clearing effect of insulin. Especially in persons without diabetes, elevated fasting insulin can facilitate diagnosis of insulin resistance which predisposes a person to cardiovascular disease. Insulin resistance is also linked to higher rates of stroke.
- Fasting Glucose
- Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
High levels of insulin generally mean excess blood sugar is present.
Diet/Nutrition
- Increase soluble/insoluble fiber, healthy fats, and protein intake.
- Consider time-restricted eating/intermittent fasting.
- Consider spacing meals 4-5 hours apart to activate the migrating motor complex (MMC) which is the gut’s internal cleansing system.
- Limit refined carbohydrates and high glycemic foods.
- Lower stress and support parasympathetic activity.
- Lower overall inflammation.
- Optimize sleep and the circadian rhythm.
Probiotic Strains
Discuss supplements with your dietitian to determine which will be the best fit for you. Always consult your healthcare provider prior to beginning a new supplement.
Gut health and hormone health are connected. You are living in one body meaning all systems must work together to achieve optimal health so when one system is imbalanced, in this case a hormone imbalance or an imbalance in the endocrine system, the other systems (organs) are affected as well. An example of this is the gut which is part of the digestive system affecting the nervous system leading to a change in mental health, emotional health, and overall wellbeing. Having optimal health is simply focusing on the importance of the interconnected system of organs within the human body working together and properly in balance and harmony.
Adding various or specific probiotic strains to ferment in yogurt allows them to multiply and digest easier as well survive intestinal transit ensuring optimal nutrition. I recommend making your own probiotic rich yogurt to experiment with different probiotic strains! I have the recipe linked here!
Medicinal Herbs & Adaptogens
Discuss supplements with your dietitian to determine which will be the best fit for you. Always consult your healthcare provider prior to beginning a new supplement.
Herbal blood sugar support:
- Cinnamon
- Green tea
- Holy basil
- Fenugreek
- Garlic
- Korean ginseng
- Oregano
- Turmeric
Supplements
Discuss supplements with your dietitian to determine which will be the best fit for you. Always consult your healthcare provider prior to beginning a new supplement.
Targeted Supplements:
- Berberine
- Chromium
- EGCG from green tea
- Fish oil (EPA/DHA)
- Magnesium
- Myo-inositol & D-chiro inositol
- NAC
- Zinc
Rx: Metformin
You may order from my supplement dispensary below through Fullscript’s catalog where each brand and product meets strict top quality standards. You can learn more about third party testing here. My supplement dispensary is linked here and you do not need to be a client to place an order.
Exercise/Movement
- Increase movement and exercise if sedentary.
- High intensity interval training (HIIT).
- Resistance training concentrating on large muscle groups: hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
Even modest amounts of weight loss can reverse some of the effects of insulin resistance by altering metabolism in such a way that promotes efficient energy production over fat storage. Moderate exercise also helps to lower insulin levels even in the absence of weight loss.
Stress
Stress management tools are listed here.
Sleep
Aim for 7-9 hours of quality, deep sleep.
Duration of sleep varies for females since hormones are always fluctuating and run on a monthly cycle. In the days leading up to the menstruation phase of your menstrual cycle, you may find that you have trouble falling asleep due to the decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels.
Look at sleep routine: reduce blue light towards the evening to regulate proper circadian rhythm and melatonin levels, limit caffeine intake prior to bedtime (depends on multiple factors such as absorption rate of the caffeine, amount of caffeine per drink (milligrams of caffeine), meal intake &nutrient density for that day, meal timing and density prior to caffeine intake, hydration status, and your genetics & how quick you metabolize caffeine by the liver), sunlight in the morning for 10-15 minutes to regulate circadian rhythm, natural cortisol spike in the morning (to wake us up) as well it’s natural decline in the evening (to wind down) as melatonin secretion increases. You can test your waking melatonin levels using DUTCH hormone testing.
Referrals
- Endocrinologist
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Functional medicine therapy for gut, hormones, & whole body healing so you can look and feel your best.
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