Five Natural Ways to Fight Insulin Resistance and Improve Your Insulin Sensitivity 

August 14, 2024

America has a weight problem. The CDC estimates three out of every four adults is overweight. Not maintaining a healthy weight can shorten life spans by elevating the risk for heart disease, stroke, and numerous cancers. Diabetes diagnoses are also increasing because more and more Americans are heavier and relatively inactive. 

Along with lifestyle changes including exercise and diabetic meal plans, type 2 diabetes is often controlled with medication. However, the condition is not inevitable. For many, insulin resistance is an early warning sign. Left untreated, it usually becomes diabetes. The good news is that millions of people can easily reverse course. They can shift from being insulin resistant to insulin sensitive. That means their blood sugar levels are within the normal range and they are no longer at risk for diabetes. There are proven, natural ways to improve your sensitivity to insulin. Here are five of them.

What Is Insulin Sensitivity?

The percentage of people considered overweight keeps rising. Right now, 75% of American adults have a Body Mass Index over 25. With the exception of weight lifters and other oversized athletes, most people with a BMI over 25 are considered overweight. Although type 1 diabetes is caused by a host of factors, type 2 is usually caused by being inactive and heavier than is healthy for your height. People with a family history of the condition and certain ethnic groups also face an elevated risk.

The CDC believes some 38 million people have diabetes. That’s over 11 percent of the population. Even worse, nine million of them are unaware that they have it. Type 2 diabetes often lacks symptoms. Left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure and even blindness. 

Along with the 38 million estimated diabetics, some 100 million Americans have prediabetes. Their blood sugar level is higher than normal but hasn’t crossed the threshold type 2 diabetes. However, untreated prediabetes almost always progresses to the condition.

Changes in the American diet has forced an already hardworking organ to work even harder. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin – which assists blood glucose (or blood sugar) as it enters the liver, fat, and muscle cells. These cells rely on glucose for energy. Blood sugar levels increase during digestion – insulin helps keep it from rising too high or falling too fast. 

Unfortunately, overconsumption of highly processed foods along with sweets containing high fructose corn syrup means the pancreas has to produce massive amounts of insulin, depleting the organ even as blood sugar becomes less responsive. When your body’s cells don’t react to insulin as they once did, and are unable to absorb the blood sugar, the pancreas has to make ever increasing quantities of insulin to accomplish the same job. This is insulin resistance. It is one of the most common early warning signs for diabetes. 

Eventually, the number of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas declines even as consistently high blood sugar levels begin to damage other organs. The best way to overcome this is by developing insulin sensitivity. This means your cells are more responsive to blood sugar. This happens when blood sugar levels are kept within the normal range. Here are some great ways to get blood sugar under control and increase your insulin sensitivity, including an insulin resistance diet. 

  1. Learn Your Levels

The scary truth is, there are no consistent insulin resistance symptoms. Generally, some of the same symptoms for diabetes and high blood sugar levels may also be linked to insulin resistance. If you’ve been extra thirsty or hungry lately, or have a more frequent need to urinate, it might be an insulin resistance symptom. Other common symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, and cuts taking longer than usual to heal. 

Do not wait for insulin resistance symptoms. Learn your blood sugar levels now. Instead of dealing with a crowded doctor’s office, get an inexpensive at-home test from Kyla Clinics. For just $99, a male or female primary care panel delivers timely details about not just blood sugar levels but also kidney and liver function. You’ll also get critical information about your hormone levels and cardiovascular health.

After completing a health quiz, select the at-home blood test that’s right for you. A few days later, you’ll receive the test and instructions for sample collection. Return it to the Kyla labs. Your results will help determine if you have insulin resistance symptoms. Even better, you will be able to consult  with a Kyla doctor who can help you create a program to improve your insulin sensitivity. By tracking your progress with the Kyla app you will be able to make noticeable improvements in nutrition and fitness while taking daily actions to normalize your blood sugar levels.

  1. Take Charge of Your Diet

It should be no surprise that avoiding a condition so intimately connected to the foods we eat often requires us to change the way we eat. Reducing consumption of ultra processed food like microwaveable meals, lunch meats, and sugar-loaded cookies and cakes is a great first step toward a healthy, insulin resistance diet. For overall health, doctors and dieticians are increasingly recommending plant-based diets. Studies have demonstrated that diets rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer, and a host of other life-shortening conditions including diabetes. 

Whether opting for the olive oil and grilled meals of the Mediterranean Diet or the cardiovascular friendly DASH Diet, the key to an insulin resistance diet is turning dinner plates into rainbows with colorful fruits and vegetables dominating every dish. Lean protein sources like chicken, fish, and eggs make up a smaller portion of the meal while red meat can be consumed in moderation. 

Although even with a diabetic diet plan it’s not necessary to become vegan or vegetarian, there is evidence that meat-free diets do reduce the risk of many lifespan shortening health conditions including diabetes. As one researcher wrote, “According to studies, vegetarians and vegans have better blood parameters, including better glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol levels. Their homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) test results are also better. More plant-based foods and fewer animal foods in a diet result in lower insulin resistance and a lower risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.”

Plant-based diets also help increase insulin sensitivity because vegetables and fruits are loaded in antioxidants. This reduces inflammation which has been linked to an increased risk for diabetes. Most plants and vegetables are low on the glycemic index – which means they will not raise blood sugar levels. Learning about which foods are low on this index, and adding them to your diet, will go a long way toward adopting a prediabetes diet designed to  reduce insulin resistance. 

Fiber is also vital. Just five percent of Americans get the daily recommended amounts. Fiber has been linked to the development of healthy gut bacteria – which can improve insulin sensitivity. The supplement ashwagandha can also help reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.  

  1. Getting Fit Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity 

Waist size is one of the biggest risk factors for insulin resistance. Generally men with a waist over 40 inches and women over 35 inches (who aren’t pregnant) are at a greater risk for diabetes. Having a large amount of belly fat can affect internal organs while contributing to unhealthy blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. That’s why, along with adopting an insulin resistance diet, physical activity is vital. Start slow. If you don’t exercise regularly, a simple stroll around the neighborhood is a great way to begin. After eating, take a walk. Swimming or bike riding are great ways to burn calories without stressing the joints. 

Consistency is key. One study discovered that, “… regular exercise has a significant benefit on insulin sensitivity, which may persist for 72 hours or longer after the last training bout. Our findings suggest that short periods of inactivity (e.g., 72 hours) may not result in a loss of insulin sensitivity…” 

Weight training is often neglected by people embarking on a fitness routine. This is a mistake. While running on a health club treadmill or taking a spin class is a great way to lose weight, strengthening your muscles has a host of proven benefits – including improved insulin sensitivity. As with all fitness endeavors, start slow. Begin with light weights and a few simple exercises. Consider working with a trainer – at least in the beginning. 

  1. Get Plenty of Shuteye

One reason more Americans are gaining weight may be that they aren’t getting enough sleep. Numerous 24-hour entertainment options and online work that lasts past midnight has left many people tired during the day. When we are tired, our body produces excess amounts of the hormone ghrelin. It stimulates the appetite and may also increase cravings for simple carbs like cookies, cakes, or candy. Meanwhile, exhaustion suppresses the release of another hormone, leptin. This hormone gives us a feeling of fullness. The result is that tired people tend to eat more than those who are well rested. 

Along with the potential risks from overeating, insulin resistance increases when people don’t get sufficient sleep. In fact, Eve Van Cauter, PhD, told the National Institute for Health that, “Multiple studies have shown that repeated awakenings during the night, insufficient sleep, excessive sleep, and irregular sleep all promote glucose intolerance…there is experimental evidence that if you take healthy volunteers and force them into a schedule where sleep does not occur consistently during the night, the result is a decrease in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.” This can occur even with people who don’t have any other risk factors for diabetes. 

One of the best ways to fight insulin resistance is to make sleep a priority. Try to keep regular bedtimes and awake times – even on the weekends. Limit exposure to electronic devices one hour before you plan to sleep. Limit caffeine intake several hours before slumber. The recommended amount for most adults is at least seven hours of sleep per night. Doing everything within your control to get that amount nightly is as important as getting enough exercise and adhering to an insulin resistance diet.

  1. Control Your Stress

If you find yourself wired and unable to sleep, it may be because your body is overproducing the hormone cortisol. Associated with the flight-or-fight response, elevated cortisol production can affect sleep. If you suspect that your cortisol levels are too high, getting an at-home test from Kyla Clinics is a good place to start. For just $99, the Male or Female Hormone panel will provide a host of insights on hormone levels, fertility markers, thyroid function, and yes stress hormones. 

Managing stress is easier said than done but it’s vital to fighting insulin resistance. That’s because ongoing stress and its accompanying hormones can increase blood sugar levels while decreasing glucose uptake by muscle cells. Cortisol also causes the pancreas to reduce its production of insulin.

Many find mindfulness and meditation helpful for managing stress, others prefer exercise and community activities. Whatever your preference, you don’t have to go on this journey alone. With its AI-driven data and personalized consultations, Kyla Clinics delivers holistic, anti-aging programs that provide long-lasting changes in your health and overall well-being. So take proactive steps today and address the root cause, not just the symptoms, of everything from insulin resistance and weight gain to overall lack of energy. Working with Kyla you’ll see improvements quickly even as you set the groundwork for a healthy future. 

Sources:

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