A Primer on Insulin Resistance

You’ve likely heard the term insulin resistance. Or perhaps you’re more familiar with its close cousin metabolic syndrome. But, are you aware of the health consequences of insulin resistance, how it develops or why it’s on our radar screen today?

And ,the most important question: what actions can people take to reverse this health hazard? This primer on insulin resistance contains the answers.

What’s Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance most often occurs in people who are overweight. It’s particularly common in people who carry their weight around their middle -  apple shaped figure. Insulin resistance causes the body to become resistant to the insulin being made and put out (secreted) from the pancreas. Over time (often five to ten years), and if actions aren’t taken to reverse it, the pancreas (which has likely been in overdrive for a few years leading up to this) can no longer keep up with the body’s demand for insulin. Blood glucose rises above a healthy level and towards the ranges high enough for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

At the same time prior to blood glucose rising higher than normal, insulin resistance sets other health issues in motion which can result in metabolic syndrome. These five conditions describe what are called metabolic risk factors. To diagnose metabolic syndrome a person must have at least three of the five of these (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ms/ms_whatis.html)
•    Large waistline (Women: greater than 35”, Men: >40”)
•    High triglyceride level (greater than 150 mg/dl)*
•    Low HDL cholesterol level (less than 40 mg/dl for men, 50 mg/dl for women)*
•    High blood pressure (greater than 140 over 90 (140/90)*
•    High fasting blood glucose (greater than 100)*
*Or a medicine is prescribed to lower or control the risk factor.

Insulin resistance can also put people at risk of additional medical problems including infertility, depression, and sleep disturbances.

How Does Insulin Resistance Develop?
Excess pounds in the form of fat cells (adipose tissue), especially those around the abdomen, set off a cascade of events which encompass the body’s inflammatory response. The adipose tissues put out cytokines (substances produced by cells) into the blood stream. This causes chronic inflammation which in turn slows down the action of insulin. The body responds by making more insulin to keep blood glucose levels under control. Slowly but surely this chronic inflammation and too much insulin being made (but not being used by the cells effectively) leads to a “pooped out pancreas” – a pancreas that is tired of being in overdrive.

Yes, excess weight is not simply excess baggage with no damaging effects!

What actions people can take to reverse Insulin Resistance?
Okay, enough bad news! The good news is people can put the brakes on insulin resistance and put this situation in reverse. Research shows that the sooner the health issues that may lead to insulin resistance or are causing insulin resistance are addressed the better the chances of preventing more serious health problems. The longer one has had insulin resistance the greater the chance the body will be unable to make enough insulin to control blood glucose, likely resulting in serious health problems.

Research has shown over and over (and over again) that losing as few as 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight (~10 to 20) pounds, and keeping as much of that off as possible over time, can help the body regain some insulin sensitivity.  The earlier you take actions the better.

Weight loss helps the body use the insulin that is made in the pancreas more effectively. If blood glucose is elevated losing a small amount of weight  can  plummet blood glucose back to normal. Improving insulin sensitivity has also been shown to help reverse the related health conditions– lowering blood pressure, improving blood fats.

To trim down a few pounds it’s the same old broken record – simple to say, challenging to accomplish!

Eat fewer calories than your body needs each day, enjoy sufficient fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low fat dairy foods. These foods (other than low fat dairy foods) all provide important dietary fiber and critical vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget to lighten up on meat, fats and oils. Next, get physically active. Start slowly and work up to 30 minutes most days.

Read this carefully: There’s another secret weapon in this War on Insulin Resistance  that may offer a dose of help. That’s resistant starch, a type of starch which resists digestion in the small intestine and is instead slowly fermented in the large intestine. By being fermented resistant starch produces helpful bacteria. These have been shown to trigger several health benefits including improved satiety/decreased hunger, lower rise of blood glucose after eating and improved insulin sensitivity.

Resistant starch naturally occurs in some foods, such as whole grains, bananas, beans and lentils. Resistant starch, as the ingredient Hi-maize®, is also in the Nutrition First™ bake mixes as a source of dietary fiber. So, enjoy a chocolate chip cookie, blueberry muffin or pancakes made with the Nutrition First™ pancake and waffle mix, and get the health benefits of resistant starch. That’s more good news!

Now that you are armed with the facts, and some solutions, start taking actions today to reduce your chances of health issues resulting from insulin resistance.