Reverse Insulin Resistance Now!

April 12, 2010

Insulin is secreted by your pancreas in response to increased blood sugar levels, to escort sugar into your cells. Insulin resistance happens when cells, such as muscle and fat, stop being receptive to insulin, and it’s a major cause of type 2 diabetes. More than 90% of people with type 2 diabetes have insulin resistance. Symptoms of insulin resistance include unstable blood sugar levels and high insulin levels, along with fatigue and “brain fog.”

You can reverse insulin resistance before it progresses to type 2 diabetes. Here is what you need to do.

1. Get on the circuit. You’ll get the most benefit from exercise if you combine aerobic exercise and weight training in a single workout, 3 days a week. Alternate with a daily 45 minute walk or swim. Your goal is to reduce visceral, or abdominal fat, and to increase muscle mass.

2. Preserve muscle as you lose weight. The only way you can do this is by exercising at the same while you’re cutting calories. Just cutting calories will cause your body to lose muscle along with fat. Muscle mass helps you maintain calorie burn as you lose weight.

3. Get enough sleep. Inadequate sleep increases insulin resistance, stress hormone levels and your risk for type 2 diabetes. Good sleep is as important as exercise. Taking 3 mg of melatonin at night can help.

4. Take 200 mcg of chromium a day. It can help overcome insulin resistance by making insulin receptors on cells work better. It can also aid fat loss while preserving muscle. Many people with diabetes are low in chromium.

5. Spice it up. Both cinnamon and curcumin (found in turmeric) stimulate insulin receptors on cells the same way insulin does, lowering blood sugar by as much as 30%. Consider taking standardized extracts of these spices.

6. Focus on magnesium. Getting enough reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes by about 30%. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including glucose metabolism. Get at least 400 mg a day, from foods or supplements. Diabetes depletes the body of magnesium.

7. Add vitamin D. Research shows that all-too-common vitamin D deficiency is associated with insulin resistance. Get 1,000-2,000 IU or more a day.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Type 2 diabetes really is a lifestyle disease. Exercise, proper nutrition and restful sleep can reverse insulin resistance and slash your risk for this devastating condition.