Treating Insulin Resistance Doesn’t Call for Building Hundreds of Protocols

Insulin is indispensable to the body for producing energy through the foods that we eat. There is a proper balance between insulin and blood sugar levels generally but there are instances where this hormone doesn’t do its job efficiently leading to overproduction of the insulin hormone—this process, known as insulin resistance, is the root cause behind the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.
 
Functioning of Insulin  
 
Basically, insulin functions as given below:
 

• The food consumed is broken down into glucose, the primary energy source for the body
• Once glucose enters the bloodstream, it is a signal for the pancreas to release insulin
• With the help of insulin, glucose enters the liver, fat, and muscle cells so that it can be used as energy for use later
• Once this entry is over, it is a signal for the pancreas to stop producing insulin

 
When the cells of the fat, liver, and muscles aren’t able to take up glucose effectively, it results in insulin resistance. Even if there is improper response from the cells, there is no problem until pancreas keeps producing insulin to keep blood sugar levels in the healthy range. But, excessive resistance to insulin from the cells results in increased blood sugar levels, which consequently result in pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes.
 
Reasons for Insulin Resistance
 
In any patient, diagnosing the problem is the toughest part and once this is done properly, administering medications is easier. It is the talent of the physician to come up with the right diagnosis for treating the patient. Likewise, in our case, understanding the reasons behind the occurrence of insulin resistance helps us solve half the problem. After this, all that remains to be done is addressing the reasons and coming up with the right solution.
 
The primary causes behind insulin resistance include:
 

• Excess deposit of body fat, especially around the abdomen
• Absence of physical activity
• A sedentary lifestyle

 
Currently, researchers also think that stress levels and some factor (could be a hormone) produced by fat tissues could lead to insulin resistance.
 
Researches & Studies On Treating Insulin Resistance
 
There have been multiple researches and studies that have come up with different solutions for treating insulin resistance. One study focused mainly on overweight/obese postmenopausal women administering them with dietary interventions, exercise plans, and a combination of both. Significant improvement in insulin resistance was seen in those groups following a diet plan with or without exercise.
 
In another study, obese participants were put into one of the two groups randomly—either the control group or the intervention group that exercised thrice a week for between 50 and 70 minutes. Results showed that the intervention group showed positive results with reduced subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue reduction with no changes found in the control group. On the whole, the study was a clear proof that there was significant improvement in weight loss effects and insulin resistance levels with authentic lifestyle interventions.
 
Yet another research on insulin resistance to bring in exercise and lifestyle interventions as the primary solutions for treating it was taken up by the American Medical Association (AMA) and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). ‘Exercise is Precision Medicine’ for insulin resistance was the mantra of this study. The research suggested that exercise helped improve insulin sensitivity but a combination treatment protocol is necessary to address the symptoms and cause of the disease and deal with problems relating insulin resistance.
 
Treatment Protocol for Addressing Insulin Resistance Issues
 
All the studies, the underlying causes behind insulin resistance and the risk factors clearly show that lifestyle interventions that include an active lifestyle, everyday exercise, a well-balanced diet plan, sufficient sleep, and yoga/meditation are more than enough to address the problems of insulin resistance and resolve the problems relating to diabetes.
 
There are some health companies that advocate their treatment plan of building 300+ protocols for dealing with insulin resistance. The number is humongous and we don’t have the slightest need to even know what these 300 protocols include. We have more than enough data and study results proving without doubt that all we need is the help of a dietitian/nutritionist to come with a low-calorie diet, a doable exercise regimen, and simple lifestyle interventions to sort out problems relating to insulin resistance.
 
Building such big-numbered protocols, making a big deal of something that’s easy to treat, and seeking attention with big terminologies is a great way to advertise and publicise. But, this is only a strategy to lure clients and tempting them to invest more on something unnecessarily.
 
Insulin resistance can be treated by:

• Eating a healthy diet that includes healthy carbs, the right amount of fibre, ample veggies and fruits, and a small portion of dairy, nuts, and proteins. There is no special diet or food for coming up with an insulin-resistance diet plan. The primary focus must be on eating less unhealthy foods and consuming more of healthy ones.
• Engaging in regular physical activity. Choose high-intensity or moderate-intensity (glucose uptake goes up by 40% per session activities depending on your body condition.
• Taking measures to lose weight (in case of obesity/overweight) or lose fat (in case of normal weight individuals)
• Sleeping well. Create a cool sleeping setup with the right lighting, good fragrance, and a calm surrounding to invoke good sleep
• Doing meditation or yoga to reduce stress which in turn increases insulin sensitivity

 
Conclusion
 
All these strategies are sure-shot ways to curb problems related to insulin resistance and keep diabetes under control.  Ensure proper blood sugar levels by combining all these tactics and doing them in a diligent manner every day. Never do this by yourself but get in touch with a reputed dietitian/nutritionist to plan your lifestyle modification and incorporate a well-balanced diet plan as a way to fight diabetes.