5 Intuitive and Natural Ways to Balance Blood Sugar
What is Insulin Resistance?
Once food enters your digestive track, your body releases sugar or glucose into the blood stream, as food gets digested. In response to food, pancreas releases the hormone #insulin, a key that unlocks cell receptors sites that let glucose in.
However, when insulin is no longer able to unlock these cells and over time even with more insulin being released by the body, these cells eventually become less sensitive to insulin and less responsive and this is what we call #InsulinResistance.
Envision traffic being diverted from a busy highway into a single lane, and as cars pile up, traffic slows down, and eventually traffic jam is created. Your body works the same way, when there is too much insulin (like too many cars on the road), there's too much inflammation (like a traffic jam) blocking the cell receptors, so the fuel they need, #glucose, can't get in.
When #Insulin can no longer do it's job properly, act as the key that unlocks cell receptors to let in glucose, insulin levels rise in the body and just like any other cell in your body: muscles, fat tissue, liver, brain, they become insulin resistant.
If brain cells become insulin resistant, cravings arise, excess weight creeps in, your focus and memory may become impaired. Think of it this way...
Do you experience brain fog?
Do you experience mid-afternoon or after dinner sugar cravings?
Do you feel sleepy after eating?
If you answered yes, Pay Attention! These could be early signs of insulin resistance and can quickly take a toll on the body, leading to metabolic syndrome (heart disease, stroke, and diabetes), PCOS, Endometrial, Breast and Colon Cancers.
5 Intuitive and Natural Ways to Improve Insulin Resistance?
Reducing Stress,
Decreasing Visceral Body Fat,
Eating a Nourishing Diet,
Physical Movement, and
Improving Sleep Quality
#Stress wreaks havoc on hormonal balance, and as you well know, hormones hold the key to unlocking your vitality. The simplest way I can explain the massive impact of stress on your blood sugar levels is to think of stress as a green light to your adrenals, signaling them to release the hormone #cortisol. With chronic stress and too much #cortisol, the body interprets that you're in danger, similar to being chased by a tiger except there is no tiger chasing you, instead you've just received an email from your boss or read a text triggering a stress response. The body responds to stress by seeking extra fuel to help it prepare to run away from danger, by releasing the hormone insulin. Since, cortisol and insulin dance together, if one is high, the other will be too. Too much stress, too much cortisol, too much insulin leads to insulin resistance.
#BodyFat also plays a key role in your metabolism. Fat cells are an excellent storage for extra energy. In fact, fat tissue is hormonally active and helps manage blood sugar and regulate appetite. However, too much body fat can create inflammation and increases insulin resistance.
Specific type of fat, visceral fat around your internal organs, the fat you can't see, is especially problematic and it's the most metabolically active fat.
Fat around your heart (although it may not be visible) can result in an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Some people can have high % of visceral fat, and physically appear tall and lean. To check yours, compare your waist measurement to the hip measurement. Or consider your body shape. As a general rule, a pear shape body is considered healthier than apple shape, where fat is concentrated in the abdominal area.
To reduce visceral fat, and naturally improve insulin resistance, opt for whole foods vs processed and refined sugars. When in doubt, keep it simple. As a general rule choose an apple vs apple sauce or apple juice.
#Diet has a direct impact on insulin resistance and either fuels your body or starves your body. The quality of your diet directly impacts energy levels, quality of sleep, mood and your overall performance. Similar to the type of fuel that goes into a car gas tank, it may run for a while, but overtime engine gives out and you're left with a much bigger problem.
To naturally improve insulin resistance focus on diet comprising of seasonal produce, that ensures you're fueling your body with the highest nutrient dense foods available all year-round. Whenever possible choose foods without labels or packaging.
Before consuming certain foods, consider
Will this food fuel me or leave me craving more, constipated, sluggishness?
Will this food leave me with that dreaded energy crash?
Will this food nourish me, give me stable energy, make me feel light and vibrant?
#PhysicalMovement means engaging in an activity that involves movement, that's intuitive for you and that you enjoy. Going to an indoor gym and running for an hour on a treadmill, if that's not what you enjoy doing, isn't required. Instead, choose to go for a walk or a hike outdoors, take your dogs for a walk, or throw a ball in the backyard with your kids. Choose whatever intuitively feels good and gets your moving. If you enjoy it, you're more likely to do it tomorrow too. Also, one key hack is to move for at least 10min after a meal.
Movement after a meal helps balance glucose levels naturally and minimizes sugar spikes and sugar crashes. After dinner, volunteer to put dishes away or clean up the kitchen. Just 10mins of movement, right after a meal helps utilize the food you ate and naturally wards off any chance of insulin resistance developing. Those glucose spikes - wave goodbye!
If you prefer to mix it up, try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which helps burn excess sugar and improves insulin regulation. Or try yoga, which has been shown to decrease stress, naturally lowering cortisol and in parallel lowering insulin. Or, resistance training, like Body Pump and using free weights, can naturally improve insulin resistance by build muscle mass, in turn reducing visceral fat that naturally lowers blood glucose levels. Mixing it up is key, but a non-negotiable is Physical Movement daily. Even 20 min of walking or HIIT is enough, just get started.
#Sleep and link between sleep disorders and insulin resistance has been proven time and time again. Lack of sleep enhances food cravings, especially for refined carbs that are loaded with processed sugar.
Think of the last time you were sleep deprived.
Did you wake up the next day craving carbs, sweets, caffeine or other stimulants to help get you through the day?
It makes sense, right? The body needs fuel, especially when you're sleep deprived. Although, decisions that we make when sleep deprived may not be the healthiest decisions, leading to a vicious circle and unwanted weight gain, mood swings, sleepless nights.
So protect your night routine. It's one of the best things you can do for your health, it's virtually free and has a compounding positive effect on all areas of your life. #Sleep supports the natural circadian rhythm which in turn naturally supports stable blood sugar levels and improves insulin resistance.
Exposure to artificial light disrupts hormone balance, by severing the link between melatonin (sleep hormone) and insulin secretion. Getting 4-5hrs of sleep, telling yourself "I'll sleep when I'm dead" may have worked in your 20s, but may not be a long term solution or serving you now. As we age, our cells age too. Protecting your night routine and prioritizing sleep, gives your body the ultimate fuel and chance for optimal performance the next day and for years to come.
Start simple, by reducing artificial light 30 minutes to an hour before going to sleep. This single habit change in your night routine can makes a huge difference in improving insulin resistance and your overall wellbeing. As your sleep quality improves, your life improves. It's a big deal!
Summary
Combination of all or starting with just one of these proven ways:
Reducing Stress,
Decreasing Visceral Body Fat,
Nourishing Diet,
Increasing Activity Level and
Improving Sleep Quality Sleep,
could dramatically improve your insulin resistance and overall quality of health.
Each of these tactics is proven to lower cortisol levels, making you more insulin sensitive, which is a predictor of longevity. Of course there are other ways, such as environmental toxins that do not seem as obvious, but they too impact your insulin resistance. Therefore, when it comes to managing insulin resistance, what we eat and don't eat may be the first go to fix, but consider other factors beyond your plate, which are just as important to check and explore their relationships to your overall wellbeing.
As a personal Health and Nutrition Coach, I support clients as they work towards improving their insulin resistance, that helps them get a better night's sleep, have more energy and lose unwanted weight. If health is a priority for you, and you're ready to improve your diet, get better night's sleep, and feel better then let's connect.
Book a complimentary 15min health consult, share your health goals and let's explore if health coaching could be the missing piece of your wellness journey puzzle.
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