A healthy body can easily transport blood sugar into its cells. Blood sugar (glucose) is the fuel that literally runs the body. Insulin is a hormone that facilitates the absorption of glucose into the cells of your body. However, too much insulin over too long a period of time can cause cells to become insulin resistant. This causes the pancreas to secrete more and more insulin in an attempt to compensate, which in turn causes cells to become even more insulin resistant. This can ultimately lead to problems like diabetes.
The symptoms of this condition are varied and not always obvious. A person is considered insulin resistant when they have a combination of three or more of the following symptoms.
High blood sugar levels
Low levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL)
Sleepiness after eating
Weight gain and difficulty in losing weight
Increased fat around the abdomen
Increased blood pressure
Depression
Fuzzy thinking and inability to focus
Constant or greatly increased hunger
Dark patches on the skin, especially at the elbows or back of the neck
The problem is that most of these symptoms can be caused by other disorders and a person may have this condition and not show any symptoms at all, at least not for a long time.
Other major risk factors that may lead to becoming insulin resistant include:
Age (the risk increases as one becomes older)
A family history of type 2 diabetes
Other medical conditions including high blood pressure and heart or blood vessel disease
Diet is a major factor in contributing to this syndrome. This includes the high fat and/or high carbohydrate diets that are very common in North America. Junk food is also a contributor as it tends to contain excess fat along with a lot of empty calories that do not provide sufficient nutrition and so can encourage overeating.
But, the situation isn't hopeless. The primary goal in treating this condition is to prevent the development of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Your doctor will first suggest lifestyle modification such as exercising 30 minutes most days of the week. He or she may also suggest a healthy diet to promote weight loss and normal blood cholesterol and fat levels. In fact, the right kind of diet, coupled with the right kind of exercise can greatly reduce and even correct this condition.
Seeing your physician for routine checkups and checking your blood glucose levels, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and weight will help you monitor the state of your health and reduce your chances of becoming insulin resistant.
