Reverse Insulin Resistance with Diet

September 12th, 2008

Are you overweight and fatigued? Do you feel jittery and irritable but better once you eat? Do you feel sleepy after eating a meal heavy with carbohydrates? Do you suffer from high blood pressure or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

These are all signs of Insulin Resistance, one of the major underlying causes of excess weight and obesity. It affects up to 65% of the overweight population.

Insulin Resistance vastly reduces the insulin sensitivity of cells, which impairs the processing of glucose through the cell wall for conversion to energy. As a result, glucose remains in your blood stream, causing elevated levels of blood sugar, which are sent to the liver. Once there, the sugar is converted into fat and stored via the blood stream throughout your body. This process can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Insulin Resistance has many factors that contribute to its presence in the body. In essence, our environment and lifestyles have evolved too rapidly for our bodies to keep pace. We are still genetically “wired” to thrive on the entrenched habits of our ancestors who consumed different, nutrient-rich foods, a diet low in carbohydrates and also sustained greater levels of movement and exercise.

Some people may also have a genetic predisposition to Insulin Resistance. Others develop Insulin Resistance through unhealthy lifestyles.

Over time, the above factors have damaged the complex ability of your body’s cells to properly utilize insulin to convert glucose to energy. Unhealthy diets cause the pancreas to overproduce insulin that overwhelms the cell thereby reducing its sensitivity to insulin and impairing the vital glucose-to-energy conversion process. If you feel you may be suffering from obesity caused by Insulin Resistance take this self-test.

The good news is that Insulin Resistance is reversible, without drugs. By weaning yourself from “bad” carbohydrates and replacing them with “good” carbohydrates while increasing your consumption of nutrient-dense foods, you can break the cycle and heal your body by changing the way it responds to food on a cellular level.

Here is a sample daily meal plan from The Insulite Labs Guide to Reversing Insulin Resistance. For additional information on reducing carbs visit Insulite Lab’s Excess Weight and Obesity web site:
http://weight.insulitelabs.com

Breakfast: Avocado and smoked salmon toast. Puree avocado, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. fresh cilantro or parsley. Spread on “Manna from Heaven” bread. Layer with 6 oz. smoked salmon. Fat 19g, Carbohydrates 18g, Protein 8g

Snack: Yogurt with fruit. One 4 oz. container plain whole-fat yogurt with 1/4 cup blueberries, plus a pinch of cinnamon. Add stevia to sweeten to taste. Fat 4g, Carbohydrates 11g, protein 4g

Lunch: Chicken with vegetables and salad. Grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and arugula salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. feta cheese over the whole plate. Fat 24g, Carbohydrates 17g, Protein 36g

Snack: Slathered celery. Two celery sticks with regular-fat cream cheese. Fat 10g, Carbohydrates 1g, Protein 2g

Dinner: Grilled tilapia. Grilled tilapia with 1 Tbsp. each of capers, lemon juice, and olive oil.Salad: sliced cucumber and tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves with olive oil dressing and chopped dill. Fat 7g, Carbohydrates 6g, Protein 28g

Daily total: Fat 64g, Carbohydrates 53g, Protein 78g

4 Responses to “Reverse Insulin Resistance with Diet”

  1. Kerri Says:

    Who would really eat that! You need real options for real people. Yuck, get in touch with reality!

    Dear Kerri,

    Thank you for posting to the PCOS support blog.

    You are right, not every person will enjoy the sample day that we put in the article. But that is only one of so many options of what would fit into the nutrition guidelines that we recommend. However, what is most important for women with PCOS and insulin resistance is reducing total carbohydrate intake and focusing on a whole food diet.

    There are many people to whom this diet will not be as appealing as we are a culture that has come to believe that processed and refined foods are not very unhealthy for us. Many have managed to replace healthier foods such as vegetables for more convenient packaged foods.

    If you do have PCOS, you may be one of the women who struggle with weight, whether that is reducing or maintaining weight and if so then simply “dieting” while maintaining a high carbohydrate diet will not go toward optimizing your health. Lean protein, healthy fats and vegetables should be the basis of the diet. Carbohydrates, especially refined and processed, promote insulin resistance, the underlying cause of PCOS.

    Also, it is part of my job to help women understand the need to change their diets and how these changes help to address the insulin resistance, reduce the symptoms and to reduce the risks, such as diabetes, heart disease, that are associated with having PCOS and insulin resistance.

    It is part of a comprehensive approach and is just one aspect. Exercise is also crucial. Because not every women with PCOS is the same or will have the same symptoms or experience, everyone will benefit differently. But again, when we are sick and struggling to manage a disease or syndrome, it is often helpful to know that you can be part of solution by making changes in your life.

    Most people find that they not only feel better, they enjoy eating foods that they thought they never would.

    Kerri, again thanks for sharing your thoughts and feel free to write in again.


    Best Wishes,
    Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
    Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

    DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
    and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
    of being informative. This information is not and
    should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
    Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
    other qualified health care provider before you
    undergo any treatment, take any medication,
    supplements or other nutritional support, or for
    answers to any questions you may have regarding a
    medical condition.

  2. Stop Insulin Resistance Says:

    Insulin resistance is such a serious issue these days. It effects people of all ages; with dangerous consequences. Thanks for the great tips.

  3. Wade Says:

    Informative posting for sure. i am a old reader to your site Super! i will before long replace my starting page with your place.

  4. HAILEY Says:

    It is the truth.

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