Understanding insulin resistance will increase your chances of preventing prediabetes. Prediabetes means that your blood glucose levels are higher than normal – but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Keep in mind that prediabetes usually happens in people who already have insulin resistance. Basically, insulin resistance occurs when your body fat and cells in your muscles begin resisting insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that is critical in regulating the glucose in the blood. It allows the glucose to get into the cells that need it for energy. It is important that your doctor checks your blood glucose regularly. The thing about insulin resistance is that there aren’t any obvious symptoms. The good news is that you can reverse insulin resistance through diet and regular exercise.
It is time that you evaluate what and how you consume food. You need to consider an insulin resistance diet. Here’s what Masteringdiabetes.org means:
Limiting carbohydrate intake
The key strategy to regulating blood sugar is through monitoring your carbohydrate intake. Remember that carbohydrates have a big role on your blood sugar levels. It is best to limit refined carbohydrates like rice, white bread, pasta, soda, candy, and snack foods. Instead, focus on consuming complex carbohydrates like brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-wheat bread, oats, peas, and leafy vegetables.
Avoiding sweets
An insulin resistance diet does not mean that you totally get rid of sugar altogether. You can still enjoy a small serving of dessert every now and then. The trick here is moderation. It will take time to give your taste buds time to adjust but it can make a big difference at the end of the day.
Eating more fiber
Consuming high in fiber foods like acorn, squash, peas, and artichokes can significantly improve glycemia in people with diabetes. You should also load your plate with avocado, beans, flaxseeds, quinoa, and other fresh vegetables. Aside from high in fiber, these foods are also low in calories.
Eating healthy fats
For people with insulin resistance, they are encouraged to choose unsaturated fats instead of trans-fatty acids. You should also increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. It is recommended that you eat at least two servings of fatty fish like sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon every week. It does not end there, you should also consider walnuts, flaxseeds, and egg yolks.
Consuming dairy
Dairy has a role in reducing insulin resistance and other issues related to it like prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. This is because of the trans-palmitoleic acid – a fatty acid found in cheese, milk, butter, and yogurt. When choosing dairy as a part of your insulin resistance diet, you should choose organic products instead of traditional products from cows. The better option is goat or sheep milk.
Thinking about your portions
The key to controlling your insulin resistance lies in losing weight. Aside from following an insulin resistance diet, you should cut back on your portions for optimum impact. It is recommended to eat smaller meals throughout the day. No matter what happens, do not let yourself get too hungry as it can increase chances of overeating.
Controlling insulin resistance requires a lifestyle change. It will be difficult at first but it can improve your health in the long run. This is the only thing that matters.