What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin Resistance is an issue where you are not properly dealing with Insulin. When you have elevated levels of Insulin, you are more insulin resistant. When your body is better able to deal with Insulin, you are more insulin sensitive. So you want to increase your insulin sensitivity, and decrease your insulin resistance. Insulin Resistance is essentially the state of being Pre-Diabetic.
The thing is, a lot of doctors won’t diagnose or test for this. Most often when testing, they will only inform you once you are already in the state of having Diabetes. Which is CRAZY! Because the earlier you know and get a handle on your insulin levels, the easier it will be to manage.
Why is this an Issue?
And this is a MASSIVE issue! There is about 10% of people in Malta over the age of 18 who are diabetic. But when you look at the rates of obesity, the way that we live today and the major diseases that we are seeing, these are all things that are known to stem from insulin resistance. It’s predicted that 90% of people who are Insulin Resistant don’t even know it! In America alone, it is predicted that 70% of people are living with insulin resistance, and these numbers are still rising. At this rate, it looks like everyone is going to have insulin resistance. BUT we don’t need to accept that if we can find out early enough, and know how to deal with it.
And this is not just an issue in adults, this is an issue being seen in children – in everyone now. In Malta, where we should be able to have the healthiest lifestyle – being out in the sunshine, moving, with a bounty of fresh produce comprising the Mediterranean Diet (claimed to be the healthiest diet there is), filled with fresh fish, legumes, nuts and seeds. Instead, 40% of children in Malta are considered to be overweight or obese. That’s a CRAZY number!
This is very important not only as a prevention for Diabetes, but also for heart attacks, strokes, cancer, dementia, fertility issues, and depression. Alzheimer’s is even now being called Type 3 Diabetes, due to how strong the links are between the disease and insulin resistance. There are massive links between cognitive decline and insulin resistance.So if you want to live a long and health life, EVERYONE should be considering this important factor
What you can do
When you go to the doctor, and you ask to get your blood sugar levels checked, they may just check your immediate response, or they will give you a sugary drink and also check your levels 2 hours after consuming this drink. Ask to check these results yourself, so that you can see if you are over 100mg/dl – as anything above this level indicates insulin resistance. Often times, the doctor will not tell this to you – they commonly only will say something if you are in the range of being Diabetic already. I would highly suggest everyone finds out this number for yourself, regardless of weight, and family history. Once you see this number you understand if this is something to be of concern for yourself.
This also needs to be of interest to the government, if not for the health and well being of their people – but even from an economic point of view. Insulin Resistance related diseases cost the country A LOT of money. There are studies that have shown that if all of the healthy food, and necessary things for a healthy lifestyle preventing Insulin resistance were to be paid fully for an individual – this would be cheaper then paying for their healthcare in the long-run.
Of course I’m not a doctor, I’m just someone who has researched this to death! I have found things that have helped myself, and want to pass on that knowledge to others whom it could also potentially help. But I want to encourage you to have this discussion with your doctor, to ensure the best possibility of a long and healthy life.
What we really need to start doing is asking the WHY? Why do we feel like this? Why are we having these symptoms? Where are they coming from? It’s not normal to be chronically fatigued, it’s not normal to be super depressed and anxious, it’s not normal to have brain fog. We normalize these things because they are so common, but it doesn’t mean it’s right.
Where these things are stemming from are
- poor diet
- lack of exercise and movement
- stress
- toxins
- allergens
If you want to treat disease and these symptoms, you really need to focus on getting healthy first. And this can be incredibly simple, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Don’t get caught up on diets and fads, there is no one perfect way for everyone. If you want to do good for yourself, your health, your hormones, your energy, and your longevity, just keep your diet super simple. Just eat WHOLE foods. Have your vegetables, fruit, high quality protein, olive oil, legumes, nuts and seeds. No processed ‘low-fat’ this or processed ‘low-sugar’ that. Stop with all the labeling nonsense! Just eat real food – not food-like food – FOOD.
MOVE your body, this vehicle wants to move, and was made to do things! Get out in nature. Breathe in the sunshine. Read. Listen to your surroundings.
These simple things can have such a significant impact on your overall health and wellbeing 🙂
Dr.Mark Hyman “Food is not just calories, but it is information”.
Resources
Dr.Mark Hyman Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/user/ultrawellness
Dr.Mark Hyman Blood Sugar Solution: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1444760580/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=biomemunch-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1444760580&linkId=8684b8f1d5c44f0714708cf8ba672e9d
Research on the connection of Alzeheimer’s as Type 3 Diabetes: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/193229680800200619