There’s a lot of blame to go around when one is middle-aged and not particularly healthy. While there are 101 valid reasons that may have been responsible for your state of health, you should be conscious of the type of criticisms you heap on yourself as they can either be constructive or destructive. The constructive ones give you a chance to improve your situation, whereas the other is more likely to make things worse.
This is especially so if the reason for your ill health is more of a life situation or a genetic disorder like a type 2 diabetes, where the insulin produced in your pancreas isn’t effective enough to break down the sugar in your system and convert it to energy. In the case of Type 2 diabetes, your insulin sensitivity is a prominent factor that influences the development and presence of the disease. Hence it is very important that you’re aware of your body’s insulin sensitivity and take steps to manage it properly if they’re not functioning optimally.
Sensitivity to insulin, which widely varies between individuals can be explained as the amount of insulin required to deposit sugar efficiently from the bloodstream into the tissues. When the amount of sugar in the blood is in a healthy range, the individual is said to be sensitive to their body’s insulin supply. When the amount of sugar is in the high range, the person is said to be resistant to their body’s insulin, which means their body requires a greater insulin response to regulate the blood sugar level.
Insulin resistance gradually causes hyperglycemia, which is when the body’s blood sugar levels remain elevated. Typically, when the body constantly experiences high blood sugar levels, this is usually the first sign for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. While it is true that a Type 2 diabetes can majorly be attributed to genetics or aging, a lot about its occurrence or avoidance can also be determined by one’s lifestyle.
Factors like your diet and food choices, your weight, and your physical activity levels are a major contributing factor to your body’s insulin sensitivity. Once these factors are not properly managed, you leave yourself vulnerable to developing insulin resistance as you grow older.
Food Tips to manage your body’s insulin sensitivity
If you’re looking to improve your insulin sensitivity levels, then you need to pay attention to the following five food tips I’m about to share with you so you can get more from your diet.
They include:
- Eat Less Sugar. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how this still poses a huge threat to even people who are already on the verge of a Type 2 diabetes. The more sugar you eat, the worse your insulin sensitivity will become. Start focusing on doing whatever you can to eliminate simple sugars from your diet and it will make a huge difference.
- Take lots of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in your eating plan is definitely a good idea if you’re looking to improve your body’s sensitivity level to insulin. Common examples of food sources with omega-3 fatty acids include Salmon and walnuts.
- Add Cinnamon to Your Meals. There is ample evidence that cinnamon is really helpful in regulating blood sugar since it helps to stimulate the production of glucose-burning enzymes and increases the effectiveness of insulin in the body. So, get some today and start sprinkling it on everything you can. Add it to your oatmeal, your smoothies, protein pancakes, and even on top of yogurt.
- Always pair your carbohydrates with protein. Whenever you eat a carb, make sure you eat a protein immediately beforehand. Keep this as a golden rule and you’ll be fine. Make sure you are not consuming carbs alone as protein influences your blood sugar response by slowing down its absorption.
- Consider Intermittent Fasting. If you’re the type who would often need to be reminded before taking your meals, then you might consider an intermittent fasting protocol to help manage your body’s insulin sensitivity. Even fasting for 12 hours a day (with 8 of those coming while you sleep), can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes or help you manage its symptoms better.
Other healthy food sources to help regulate insulin sensitivity include whole grains, breads and cereals, lean meats, and vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, and asparagus.
Managing one’s insulin sensitivity can sometimes be very challenging, especially when it requires making drastic diet and lifestyle changes. However, if you’re serious about living healthy and avoiding Type 2 diabetes, then you should take these 5 tips I just shared with you very seriously.
- Avoid sugar
- Feast on omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Add Cinnamon to Your Meals
- Pair your carbohydrates with protein
- Use intermittent fasting
You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels.
Making healthy food choices is not an option, it’s a must.
Live Healthy. Be Happy
With Love and gratitude as always, Xo!
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Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.