Beat Insulin Resistance and Live a Healthier Life

When you have insulin resistance, your body’s cells cannot respond appropriately to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise. This can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes if left untreated, but there are ways to prevent and treat it.

The key is to understand your individual risk factors and make a plan that works for you. It may include dietary changes, weight loss, exercise and stress reduction.

Diet is the first step in the process, as the foods you eat can affect how well your body breaks down glucose from food. Choosing whole grains, vegetables, fruits and lean meats can help your body regulate insulin levels.

Exercising is also essential to reduce insulin resistance and improve your overall health. Studies have shown that people who engage in regular physical activity, such as walking, biking, swimming, dancing or hiking, are less likely to develop insulin resistance than sedentary individuals.

Exercise helps your body’s muscles and tissues absorb more glucose from the blood, which can decrease your blood glucose levels and make it easier for your body to get rid of excess glucose. In addition, regular exercise makes you more sensitive to the effects of insulin.

It’s also important to note that even if you are not overweight, having a lot of fat in your midsection (called visceral fat) can increase your risk for insulin resistance.

The good news is that insulin resistance can be easily controlled with lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet, weight loss and increased physical activity. These lifestyle changes have been shown to delay a diagnosis of diabetes in high-risk individuals by as much as 58%.