An introduction to insulin resistance
An introduction to insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is a greatly misunderstood health problem among women. Many women have the mistaken belief that insulin resistance only happens in those who are overweight or in those who eat too many sweets, or that it leads inevitably to diabetes, or that there is nothing they can do about it if theyÌre insulin resistant. While itÌs true that all kinds of women are insulin resistant Û or well on their way Û the wonderful news is that insulin resistance is something we can prevent and even reverse naturally!
Reversing insulin resistance is really a matter of understanding insulinÌs role in the body. Insulin allows glucose to travel from the bloodstream into the cells, where it is used for cell functioning. When we eat foods high in refined carbohydrates, insulin levels surge to remove the sugar from the blood and get it into your cells. This mechanism works very well for the most part. But if insulin spikes too often from a diet rich in the high-carb foods that trigger insulin secretion, your cells respond by decreasing the reactivity and number of insulin receptors on their surfaces. Eventually, this prevents glucose from getting into your cells, leading to high blood sugar and depriving your cells of the energy they need to function. This is why many women with insulin resistance experience carbohydrate cravings, fatigue and weight-gain Û their cells are literally starving for energy, even when plenty of glucose is available in the blood. Down the road, your bodyÌs capacity to generate insulin appropriately becomes depleted, and the result is type 2 diabetes.
But thatÌs just the basics Û there is so much more than that going on here. The bigger problem is that insulin resistance lies at one end of a spectrum of related disorders called metabolic syndrome, a serious health challenge that takes on many different forms in the 21st century, leading not just to diabetes but a whole host of equally or even more problematic health conditions. ThatÌs why itÌs so important to pay attention to the signals your body sends you when it is dealing with insulin resistance.
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by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
healthcarecenter@womentowomen.com
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