What Is Insulin Resistance And What Can We Do About It

Introduction:

Insulin resistance is a term thrown around so much and yet many of us middle aged warriors do not understand the huge impact that this has on our health and well-being and most importantly how we can navigate around it. Technically, the term refers to "a pathological response in which cells in insulin-sensitive tissues in the body fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin".

"Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas; a small organ located near the stomach. The pancreas works with the gut and liver to help our bodies digest and absorb the food we eat. When we eat, the gut stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin that then acts like a key that helps the body’s cells absorb glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream. Glucose comes from the food we eat and it’s our main source of energy. Once you eat, your blood sugar levels rise, and insulin is released to help bring that sugar into your cells, where it can be used for energy or stored as glycogen and fat for later use.

When your body is functioning normally, this process works smoothly to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. But when things go wrong, insulin struggles to do its job. This is where insulin resistance comes into play.

Insulin resistance means your body’s cells have stopped responding effectively to insulin. Using an analogy, the “key” (insulin) is no longer unlocking the “door” (the cells) efficiently. As a result, glucose has a harder time getting into the cells, and begins to build up in the bloodstream. The pancreas responds by producing more insulin to try and get the blood sugar levels down. However, over time, this process becomes less effective, and the constant demand eventually exhausts the pancreas, leading to consistently high levels of both insulin and blood sugar in the body" (www.medikane.com.au).

Estrogen is a major playing in glucose metabolism and when we hit perimenopause and estrogen levels start to decline our tendency to becoming insulin resistance start to rise.

Key identifiers of insulin resistance:

1. Sugar cravings

2. Weight gain or inability to lose weight

3. Fatigue

4. Inability to focus

So..... what the hell can we do about rising insulin resistance in our midlife years. There is so much that we can do.... I know you hear it all the time, however, these super basic strategies are scientifically proven to lower insulin resistance and have you start to shift stubborn weight.

1. Physical Activity

Moving your body helps your body become more insulin sensitive, as muscles like to soak up glucose to replenish energy stores. It simultaneously increases the number of GLUT4 transporters in muscle cells (the doors allowing glucose in when insulin arrives).

2. Nutrition

By keeping blood glucose levels stable, this assists to reduce fat accumulation. High card and high sugar diets will cause blood sugar spikes, and more insulin released (cells become resistant over time). However, by choosing fibre rich food and low glycemic foods your insulin system has a break! So more fibre, healthy fats and protein will help this system. Think chicken, eggs, avocados, nuts, chia seeds, oats and veggies Contact me for meal ideas!

3. Portion Control

Menopause decreases our metabolic rate, and it is a time in our life where overeating becomes a much larger issue. Portion control is crucial for regulating blood sugar levels, insulin production and body fat. Midlife is about balancing our hormones the best we can - blood sugar highs and lows mess with cortisol, insulin and estrogen which in turn can lead to additional issues with hot flashes, sleep, sugar cravings and mood.

4. Adequate Sleep

I know we hear this daily however when we don't sleep enough our muscle and fat cells do not absorb glucose as well. The Diabetes Journals (American Diabetes Association) states that people who sleep only five hours per night for just ONE week experienced insulin sensitivity by 20-30%. Let alone those who do this on repeat!

5. Manage Stress

Chronic stress raises cortisol which raises blood sugar. Just 10 minutes of deep breathing, time in nature or mindfulness can help to reduce this impact.

Premenopausal women generally have an advantage against insulin resistance attributed to estrogen however as this protection starts to decline the risk increases. Insulin resistance becomes increasingly common in middle-aged women due to these large hormonal shifts, increased stress, body composition changes and poor sleep BUT it's not inevitable. By prioritising movement, balanced nutrition, stress management and great sleep hygiene we can improve insulin sensitivity and protect long-term metabolic health. It's not rocket science however it's about consistency over the long term.

Carry on warriors - move your body and get to bed.

M xx