basics of insulin

Basics of insulin resistance. What is it? How could it develop?

  • First off, take a deep breath. We know you’re feeling overwhelmed with your recent prediabetes diagnosis (or a loved one). It’s like you’ve been thrown into a whirlwind of medical terms, diet plans, and conflicting advice. It’s a lot to handle, but you’re not alone. Let’s break it down together.
 
 
 

Who can have this condition?

What are the symptoms?

How can it be diagnosed and treated?

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Insuline Resistance

Insuline Resistance

  • To understand what insulin resistance, also known as prediabetes, is, we will be talking about the function of insulin. In General, when you eat, the body converts food it into sugar. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that signals cells to open and absorb this sugar to convert it into energy. If you have insulin resistance, the cells do not react or open, causing an excessive level of sugar in the blood. Over time, the pancreas continues to try to regulate blood glucose levels and produces more and more insulin until it becomes exhausted and can no longer produce large amounts of this hormone. As a result, blood glucose levels rise to the diabetic range.

Understanding Insulin Resistance: A Friendly Guide

Who Can Get Insulin Resistance?

  • Honestly, anyone can become insulin-resistant. But if you’re carrying a bit of extra weight, you might be at a higher risk. It’s more common if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, are over 45, or have African, Latino, or Native American ancestry. Smoking and certain medications, like steroids and antipsychotics, can also increase your risk. Other health conditions like sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and some syndromes that affect fat in your body can play a part too. So, whether you have too much or too little body fat, it can be linked to insulin resistance.

What Are the Symptoms of Insulin Resistance?

  • Many people with insulin resistance don’t notice any symptoms at all. It’s usually something your doctor finds during a routine check-up or blood test. But there are a few signs to watch out for:
  • Waistlines over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women
  • Skin tags or dark, velvety patches of skin
  • Blood pressure of 130/80 or higher
  • Fasting glucose levels of 100 mg/dL or more
  • Blood sugar levels of 140 mg/dL or more after a glucose load test
  • An A1C level between 5.7% and 6.3% (explained below)
  • Fasting triglycerides over 150 mg/dL
  • HDL cholesterol levels under 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women
diagnosis

How Is Insulin Resistance Diagnosed?

  • The good news is, you can turn things around. Managing insulin resistance and preventing diabetes is possible with some lifestyle changes and, sometimes, medication. You don’t need to go on a crazy diet or intense workout regime. Instead, find small, sustainable ways to incorporate healthy foods into your meals and add movement into your daily routine. Think fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, and lean proteins. And pick exercises that you enjoy—walking, dancing, biking, whatever gets you moving. And lets put double attention on «sustainable ways». An extreme example, you shall not eat something you are allergic to. (not liking a veg also counts as being allergic) .

    This is why your best way to handle your health its with personalized advice.
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What’s Next?

While it might not be possible to LITTERALY defeat insulin resistance, you can help your body become more responsive to insulin. Reducing stress, eating well, staying active, and listening to your body. If you need more information or support, don’t hesitate to reach out to specialists who can guide you.
For more detailed info, check out our other resources or visit Rewellth Medic Service’s website.

Remember, you deserve comprehensive, caring, and empathetic support. We’re here for you every step of the way. You got this!

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Prediabetes

How Is Insulin Resistance Diagnosed?

  • Prediabetes means you have a higher-than-normal blood glucose level. It’s not high enough yet to be considered type 2 diabetes, but without lifestyle changes, adults and children with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, long-term damage of diabetes may already be starting (especially in the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys). However, there is good news. The progression from prediabetes to actual diabetes is not inevitable. As written above, eating healthy foods, incorporating physical activity into your daily routine, and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep your blood glucose at normal levels. The same lifestyle changes that can help prevent type 2 diabetes in adults, can also help bringing blood glucose levels back to normal in children.

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Prediabetes and Symptoms to worry about

Prediabetes as itself usually has no «obvious» signs or symptoms.

One possible sign of prediabetes is darkening of the skin in certain parts of the body. Affected areas can include the neck, armpits, and groin.

Classic signs and symptoms that suggest you’ve moved from prediabetes to diabetes include:

  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Increased hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
  • Frequent infections
  • Sores that are slow to heal
  • Unintended weight loss

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Prevention

When to See a Doctor?

Consult with your healthcare provider if you’re concerned about diabetes or if you notice any signs or symptoms. Ask about blood glucose screening tests if you have risk factors for diabetes.

What Causes this condition?

While the exact cause of prediabetes is unknown, family history and genetics appear to be significant factors. What is clear is that people with prediabetes don’t process sugar (glucose) properly anymore.

Most of the glucose in your body comes from the food you eat. When food is digested, sugar enters your bloodstream. Insulin allows sugar to enter your cells and lowers the amount of glucose in your blood.

Insulin is produced by a gland located behind the stomach called the pancreas. The pancreas sends insulin into your blood when you eat. When your blood glucose level starts to drop, the pancreas slows down the secretion of insulin into your blood.

When you have prediabetes, this process doesn’t work as well. As a result, instead of fueling your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream. This can happen because:

  • The pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin
  • The cells become resistant to insulin and don’t allow as much sugar in

Risk Factors: What you need to care about

The same factors that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes also increase the risk of prediabetes. These factors include: 

  • Weight: Being overweight is a major risk factor for prediabetes. The more fatty tissue you have (especially inside and between the muscle and skin around the abdomen), the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
  • Waist Size: A large waist size can indicate insulin resistance. The risk of insulin resistance increases in men with waists larger than 40 inches (about 100 cm) and in women with waists larger than 35 inches (about 90 cm).
  • Diet: Eating red meat and processed meat, and drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with a higher risk of prediabetes.
  • Inactivity: The less physical activity you do, the greater your risk of prediabetes.
  • Age: Although diabetes can develop at any age, the risk of prediabetes increases after age 35.
  • Family History: The risk of prediabetes increases if a parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.
  • Race or Ethnicity: Although it’s unclear why, people of certain races — including Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American people — are more likely to develop prediabetes.
  • Gestational Diabetes: If you had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes), you and your child are at higher risk of developing prediabetes.
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Women with this common condition, which is characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, and obesity, have a higher risk of prediabetes.
  • Sleep: People with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes repeated stops and starts in breathing during sleep, have an increased risk of insulin resistance. People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Tobacco Smoke: Smoking can increase insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes. Smoking also increases the risk of complications from diabetes.

Other conditions associated with an increased risk of prediabetes include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol
  • High levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood

Metabolic Syndrome

When certain conditions occur with obesity, they’re associated with insulin resistance and can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. A combination of three or more of these conditions is often called metabolic syndrome:

  • High blood pressure
  • Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
  • High triglycerides
  • High blood glucose
  • Large waist size

Complications (if things start going out of control)

Prediabetes has been linked to long-term damage, including to your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys, even if it hasn’t progressed to type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is also linked with unrecognized (asymptomatic) heart attacks.

Prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes, which can lead to:

  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Kidney disease
  • Nerve damage
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Eye damage, including loss of vision
  • Amputations (on extreme situations)

Prevention

A healthy lifestyle can help you prevent prediabetes and its progression to type 2 diabetes, even if diabetes runs in your family. This includes:

  • Eating healthy foods
  • Staying active
  • Losing excess weight
  • Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol
  • Not smoking

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