Hey there, viewers!
You may have heard about insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance.
But what are they exactly?
Your body makes insulin to move sugar from your blood into your cells for storage.
It’s a hormone made by your pancreas to control your blood sugar levels.
Any problem with insulin and your blood sugar will go haywire!
In today’s video, we’ll be discussing 14 natural ways to improve your insulin sensitivity.
We’ll first talk about what that is exactly.
Can sleeping more help?
Is cinnamon really effective?
We’ll be discussing all of these AND more…
What is insulin sensitivity?
Is insulin resistance bad?
As I just said, insulin is responsible for moving blood sugar into your cells.
Now, think what would happen when these cells don’t welcome insulin.
They become insulin resistant.
As a result, your blood sugar becomes high.
In response, the pancreas makes more insulin to overcome the resistance and reduce your
blood sugar.
That’s how the vicious cycle continues.
All of these have two long term effects.
Firstly, this causes your pancreas stress, and can deplete them of insulin-producing
cells.
Secondly, high blood sugar for a long time results in damage to your nerves and organs.
People with prediabetes or family history of diabetes type-2 are at a higher risk of
developing insulin resistance.
Obesity also increases your chances.
Now, let’s talk about insulin sensitivity.
This involves the response of your cells to insulin.
If you’re prone to insulin resistance, you’ll definitely want to boost your insulin sensitivity
for better health.
Let’s discuss how to do that...
1.
Get more sleep
Healthy sleep increases your insulin sensitivity.
Sounds like a dream, right?
Believe it or not, a good night’s rest can solve a lot of health issues.
If you’re not sleeping enough, you tend to get more infections, as well as heart disease
and diabetes.
Catching your daily Zzzzs is important, people!
Research suggests a lack of sleep also leads to a decrease in your insulin sensitivity.
A study showed those who slept for just four hours had less insulin sensitivity and blood
sugar control than those who got more than eight hours.The good news is you can reverse
the effects by getting good sleep on a regular basis.
Do you get 8 hours of sleep everyday?
Do you monitor your sleep?
Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below.
2.
Exercise more
Exercising regularly is also a good way to improve your insulin sensitivity.
When you exercise, your blood sugar is moved into your muscles.
This causes an immediate improvement in your insulin sensitivity, which can last anywhere
between two and 48 hours.
Results from one study showed cycling on a machine for 60 minutes improved the body’s
insulin sensitivity for 48 hours.
You can choose to do aerobic or resistance training, but the best results are seen when
the two are combined.
3.
Reduce stress
When you’re under stress, one of the effects it has on your body is its inability to regulate
blood sugar.
Stress causes your body to produce more cortisol and glucagon, which convert a particular type
of stored sugar into glucose.
They then pump it into your bloodstream to give you an energy boost.
In short, your blood now has more sugar in it!
So when the stress levels persist for a significant period of time, your body becomes more resistant
to insulin.
Instead, it breaks down the nutrients you consume and pumps them directly into the bloodstream
for energy.
4.
Lose weight
When you have too much weight around your belly area, it can cause insulin sensitivity
to drop.
Belly fat produces hormones.
This is the reason there’s insulin resistance in your muscles and liver.
Research has shown a correlation between high belly fat and insulin resistance
There is a way to beat this though.
If you can shed some pounds, your insulin sensitivity can go up.
You can reduce your weight by either making lifestyle changes, or through rigorous workouts.
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5.
Eat more soluble fiber
There are two types of fiber, insoluble and soluble.
Insoluble fiber helps you pass your stool.
Soluble boosts the growth of gut-friendly bacteria.
This type of fiber also helps reduce your cholesterol level and keep you full.
But that’s not all...
Research shows eating higher levels of soluble fiber increases your sensitivity to insulin.
By increasing the good bacteria in your gut, soluble fiber helps promote insulin sensitivity
in your body.
6.
Add more colorful fruit and vegetables to your diet
Everyone knows fruits and veggies are nutritious, and that adding them to your regular diet
will promote good health.
If you eat more colorful fruits and veggies, you’re giving your body compounds that have
antioxidant properties.
Research shows that a diet with large amounts of these plant compounds can lead to an improvement
in your insulin sensitivity.
Make sure the fruits you eat are served in normal portion sizes.
At best, you can have two pieces in a sitting, and no more than a few servings per day.
7.
Add herbs and spices to your cooking
Herbs and spices have always been a part of most cuisines.
Ginger, garlic, and turmeric are used in several cuisines around the world.
Along with various other health benefits, these herbs and spices also increase your
insulin sensitivity.
Studies have shown ginger has a compound called gingerol, which allows the receptors in your
muscles to take in more sugar.
As a result, your insulin sensitivity improves.
Turmeric and garlic have strong antioxidant properties that aid in increased insulin sensitivity.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like.
Watch and learn more about the 7 signs of magnesium deficiency.
8.
Add a pinch of cinnamon
Another beneficial spice you can add to your diet is a pinch of cinnamon.
This particular spice is known for its ability to increase your insulin sensitivity and reduce
your blood sugar.
If you take one to six grams of cinnamon every day, your sugar levels will come down.
Studies have shown that cinnamon also has compounds which can mimic insulin, acting
as a substitute and working directly on the cells.
9.
Drink more green tea
Green tea is very popular because of its weight-loss advantages.
It can also help improve your insulin sensitivity.
Research suggests drinking green tea on a regular basis can bring down your blood sugar
levels and increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin.
This is all thanks to its antioxidants.
10.
Try apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a popular beverage among fitness enthusiasts.
It’s seen as a key to weight loss, while also providing other benefits such as improved
insulin sensitivity.
Vinegar not only improves the power of insulin, but also delays food from going to the intestines.
This gives your body more time to direct sugar to the blood.
A study proved taking apple cider vinegar did increase insulin sensitivity by as much
as 34% among people who were resistant.
11.
Try a supplement
There are many natural supplements available that can increase your insulin sensitivity.
Chromium supplements, for example, can improve your insulin receptors.
This helps to regulate your blood sugar levels.
Magnesium supplements are also helpful in this area.
Magnesium is a mineral with multiple benefits for your body.
Reducing insulin resistance is one of them.
Research has found a link between low magnesium levels in your blood to higher insulin resistance.
12.
Avoid trans fats
Trans fat needs to be removed from your diet completely.
Unlike healthy fats, trans fats provide no health benefits whatsoever.
They can also increase your body’s insulin resistance.
Research has shown a correlation among trans fats you eat, poor moderation of blood sugar
levels, and increased insulin resistance.
13.
Reduce your intake of added sugars
Sugars found in plants and veggies are natural and much different from added sugars.
Natural sugars come with a lot of nutritional benefits.
On the other hand, added sugars are usually found in processed food and have more issues
than benefits.
Added sugars increase your fructose intake.
An analysis of nearly 30 studies showed eating fructose on a large scale increased the body’s
insulin resistance in less than 60 days.
14.
Cut down on carbs
It goes without saying, but too much carbs are bad for your health.
In fact, cutting down on carbs is the most common piece of advice given to people looking
to shed a few pounds.
It improves your health as well.
When you make your body digest carbs, the sugar gets released into your blood.
As a result, your pancreas releases insulin to send this sugar from your blood to the
cells.
High-carb diets spike your blood sugar levels, which means your pancreas has to work harder
to pump insulin.
Carbs certainly help reduce both your weight and insulin resistance.
But getting on a low carb diet can be challenging, especially if you don’t know which foods
to eat.
There are several foods low in calories thanks to their low carb count!
Here’s what you need to know.
Check out 20 Foods Low In Carbohydrates You Need To Eat.
Or how about 38 Delicious Foods That Contain Almost Zero Calories?
Go ahead, click one.
Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become healthier.
Do you struggle with insulin resistance?
Let us know in the comments below!