Insulin resistance treatment is any method or combination of methods, both medicinal and natural, which aim to help a patient lower insulin levels so that the body becomes less resistant to it. This generally includes restricting the amount of insulin-related foods from the diet, exercising, eating low glycemic foods, and sometimes taking medication. These methods may be used in combination with one another, depending on how severe the resistance is.
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced by the pancreas to help metabolize sugars. When someone eats too much sugar, or too many foods that turn into sugar as they digest, the pancreas releases extra insulin into the bloodstream to help break it down. When this occurs continuously over an extended period of time, the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin and the normal amounts being secreted are no longer effective. This results in even more insulin being produced, which leads to a vicious never-ending cycle of resistance and overproduction.
Those who have developed this condition are said to be insulin-resistant, and this condition can lead to a host of health problems including diabetes and high blood pressure. Doctors will likely prescribe insulin resistance treatment methods in order to lower insulin levels back to healthy amounts in order to prevent these negative side effects.
The most common insulin resistance treatment options involve restricting the number of insulin-raising foods from a patient’s diet. These can include sugar and refined carbohydrates, as well as certain fruits and starches. This will allow the body to produce less insulin each day, thus causing the cells to become become less sensitized to such high levels. Diets are generally very strict in the beginning, with more carbohydrates and sugar being added as the weeks pass.
Exercise is another method used for insulin resistance treatment. Working out is especially effective when it leads to weight loss. Although studies are still being conducted on why this works, it is thought that reducing fat cells in the body allows glucose, a type of sugar, to be broken down more quickly and is replaced by muscle cells which are more sensitive to insulin.
In severe cases, medication may also be required in order to control insulin resistance. This is generally saved as a last resort for those who have not responded well to other options, or for those who have extreme insulin resistance and need intervention more quickly than natural remedies can provide. Once insulin is lowered, it can often be maintained through diet and exercise.
