Understanding Metabolic Health and Insulin Resistance
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance can occur when your body has difficulty reacting to insulin the way it should. It is commonly developed during peri-menopause and post-menopause due to the fluctuation and reduction of sex hormones.
Two factors that seem to contribute to insulin resistance are excess body fat, especially around the belly, and lack of physical activity. If your cells become resistant to insulin, your body will have difficulty regulating blood sugar.
Most Common Symptoms of Insulin Resistance
• Weight gain, especially around the belly (although thin people can be insulin resistant as well)
.• Difficulty losing weight.
• High in range or over range fasting blood sugar.
• High in range or over range fasting insulin.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Increased inflammation.
• Fatigue.
• Brain fog.
• Mood disturbances.Insulin is like your body’s energy manager.
Produced by the pancreas, insulin helps control blood sugar levels and metabolism by allowing cells to absorb and use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. But when you have insulin resistance, your cells stop using insulin effectively. This leads to higher blood sugar levels, which can progress to prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes over time.
Imagine your body as a car engine. Normally, it switches smoothly between using glucose and fat for fuel. But with insulin resistance, this engine starts sputtering. Blood sugar stays high, and insulin levels remain elevated all the time, regardless of whether you eat or not. This constant high insulin makes it harder for your body to switch between using glucose and fat for energy. Instead, it starts storing more glucose as fat, even when you’re not eating.
A healthy, metabolically flexible person can easily switch to burning fat for energy between meals or during overnight fasting. But someone with insulin resistance keeps storing glucose instead of burning fat.
For example, if an insulin-sensitive person eats a meal with carbs, insulin rises to manage the blood sugar. They use the sugar for energy, store any extra as glycogen in their muscles, and then switch back to burning fat until the next meal. However, someone with insulin resistance needs to release more insulin to handle the same meal. Their cells resist the insulin, so it stays high, leading to ongoing glucose storage and difficulty in burning fat.
This sets off a domino effect. High insulin spikes cortisol, raising blood sugar even without eating. More insulin is released, creating a cycle of high blood sugar, higher insulin, and higher cortisol. This leads to more fat storage, inflammation, and weight gain. Insulin resistance makes it hard to burn the calories you eat, as your body constantly signals to store them as fat, making weight gain inevitable.
Over time, high insulin causes inflammation and disrupts thyroid and sex hormones, which further messes with your metabolism. If thyroid issues develop, stubborn weight gain becomes even more challenging.
If untreated, high insulin and the resulting high blood sugar can lead to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health issues.
During perimenopause and post-menopause, fluctuating and decreasing sex hormones can disrupt fat metabolism and contribute to insulin resistance. Younger women tend to be more insulin sensitive because estrogen optimizes insulin activity. Premenopausal women generally have better insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes compared to men of the same age.
But as women enter perimenopause and post-menopause, the decline in estrogen removes this advantage. With increased sensitivity to thyroid and adrenal issues during this time, women become more prone to developing insulin resistance. This, in turn, affects thyroid function, creating a vicious cycle.
Insulin also has a tricky relationship with testosterone. High insulin can make the ovaries produce more testosterone, affecting ovulation and contributing to symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). During menopause, high insulin can also boost testosterone levels, leading to male-pattern hair growth and hair loss. Higher testosterone levels can further increase the risk of insulin resistance, continuing the cycle.
How to Fix It:
Insulin and blood sugar levels are influenced by a variety of factors including estrogen, testosterone, stress, sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
To effectively address insulin resistance, the best strategy is a holistic approach that combines hormone therapy with lifestyle changes. This helps balance blood sugar and promotes overall metabolic flexibility. This is achieved by:
- Increasing estrogen levels.
- Optimizing one’s mindset and practicing inner stillness techniques to lower stress.
- Reducing overall toxin load.
- Optimizing sleep.
- Optimizing nutrition.
- Initiating Intermittent fasting.
- Frequent movement that incorporates both cardio and resistance training.
To check for insulin resistance, you can test your fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin and put the results into the following tool:
https://thebloodcode.com/homa-ir-calculator/
If however, you have difficulty losing weight and gain weight easily, it is safe to assume you are dealing with at least some degree of insulin resistance. Focus on:
1. Healthy Diet: A diet rich in whole foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains. (See nutrition guidelines recommended above). Reducing refined carbs and sugars helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can reduce insulin resistance.
2. Regular Exercise: Incorporate both aerobic exercises, like walking or cycling, and strength training. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and helps manage blood sugar levels.
3. Weight Management: Even a modest weight loss can improve insulin sensitivity. Aim for a gradual, sustainable weight loss through balanced diet and regular physical activity.
More Options:
Join the FREE 28 Day Wellness ReSet Challenge to learn how to eat like you love yourself and become more insulin sensitive.
Book a free discovery coaching call so we can discuss how you can begin to lose weight, reduce inflammation and become more insulin sensitive.
Reversing Insulin Resistance: Illustrative Case Studies
The following two case studies illustrate common scenarios that mid-life women may experience. These examples are crafted to help you understand potential outcomes and see yourself in similar situations. While the individuals in these case studies are not real, the challenges and solutions presented are based on typical experiences, offering valuable insights into managing similar health issues.
Meet Jennifer:
Jennifer is a 46-year-old woman who has been gaining weight over the last few years. Despite her efforts to lose weight through increased cardio workouts and a strict 1200-calorie diet, her belly continued to grow, and she felt increasingly exhausted. Frustrated, she sought help after her doctor simply advised her to eat less and exercise more.
Initial Findings:
Together, we conducted testing for fasting blood sugar, A1C, and fasting insulin. The results indicated that Jennifer was borderline pre-diabetic.
Personalized Plan:
1. Nutrition Focus: We prioritized improving the quality of her diet over counting calories. Jennifer ensured she was consuming enough protein, fiber, and healthy fats at each meal. She eliminated processed foods, reduced sugar and refined carbohydrates, and learned to swap some of her favorite foods for healthier options, like using zucchini noodles instead of pasta and sparkling water instead of soda.
2. Intermittent Fasting: Jennifer started with a 12-hour eating window and gradually reduced it to an 8-hour window. This approach helped her body better manage insulin and blood sugar levels.
3. Exercise Routine: We shifted her focus from long cardio sessions to a regular resistance training program three times a week, combined with 15-minute cardio sessions. This change helped reduce stress on her adrenals and improved her muscle mass.
4. Stress Management: Jennifer began meditating daily and practicing yoga a couple of times a week to manage her stress levels effectively.
5. Supplementation and Eating Habits: She started taking Berberine with each meal to help regulate blood sugar levels. Additionally, she began each meal by eating vegetables first and took a 10-minute walk after meals to lower her blood sugar levels.
Outcome:
After three months, Jennifer’s fasting glucose, A1C, and fasting insulin levels were all within the normal range. She lost 10 lbs of body fat and gained 2 lbs of muscle. She experienced increased energy, a reduction in belly fat,
Meet Carol:
Carol is a 58-year-old woman who has been post-menopausal for a few years. She has struggled with weight gain, especially around her abdomen, and has also faced high blood pressure and fatigue. Despite her efforts to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine, her weight continued to increase, and she felt increasingly frustrated because all she had been doing was trying to lose weight. She believed she was eating healthy by consuming a low fat diet and restricting her calories.
Initial Findings:
During a routine check-up, Carol’s primary care physician conducted tests and found that her fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were elevated, indicating that she was pre-diabetic and most likely insulin resistant. She was advised to lose weight and exercise more, or she would end up becoming diabetic.
Personalized Plan:
1. Hormone Therapy: Carol began hormone therapy with her doctor to improve other menopausal symptoms such as joint pain, brain fog, and vaginal dryness, as well as to reduce her insulin sensitivity.
2. Nutrition Focus: Carol ensured that each meal consisted of a combination of healthy protein, fiber, and healthy fat, and focused on consuming at least 30 different plants a week. This improved her microbiome, increased her elimination, and provided her with the micronutrients she needed to feel more energetic.
3. Exercise Routine: With her newfound energy, Carol incorporated a new fitness routine of resistance training twice a week and daily 30-minute walks. She also took a shorter walk after dinner to help improve her blood sugar levels.
4. Stress Management: Carol started a gratitude journal and began deep breathing exercises like the 5-5-5-5 box breathing technique.
5. Supplementation: Carol supplemented with quercetin and NAC to help with liver detoxification, and took Berberine, alpha lipoic acid, and chromium to reduce blood sugar levels. For her blood pressure, she started drinking hibiscus tea daily.
Outcome:
After implementing these strategies, Carol experienced noticeable improvements in her energy levels and overall well-being. She lost 10 lbs of body fat and gained 2 lbs of muscle. Her weight started to decrease, and her blood pressure improved. Regular check-ins helped to adjust her plan as needed and ensured she continued to make progress.
These case studies highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach to managing insulin resistance, especially during perimenopause and post-menopause. By understanding their unique needs and working with knowledgeable professionals, women like Jennifer and Carol can achieve better health and well-being.