Insulin is a very important hormone in metabolism. It is particularly important in regulating the uptake of glucose breakdown products by the cell. Disordered production of this hormone is associated with serious clinical consequences. Deficiency of insulin is the main cause of type I diabetes. The other cause of this medical disorder is resistance of the body to the hormone. There are a number of interventions that can be used to reverse insulin resistance among diabetic patients.
The mechanisms involved in hormone resistance are a bit complicated for the layman to understand but the main thing that you need to know is that resistance occurs when the amount of hormone produced does not meet the demands of the body. This can also be termed as relative insulin deficiency. It is a typical occurrence in type two diabetes. The commonest cause of this occurrence is a change in hormone receptors.
Many of the signs and symptom of this condition are not given much concern since they are always assumed to be something else. Relative insulin deficiency may present as fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, excessive thirst, frequent urination among others. Biochemical findings include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and acidosis. A lab test will therefore be required to decide whether one is a diabetic or not.
The aetiology of resistance is majorly related to lifestyle. It is based on the fact that more hormone production is triggered when blood sugar is raised. This in turn reduces the affinity of the hormone to appropriate receptors. Factors that can cause increased blood sugar include caffeine, alcohol, foods with high content of sugar, stress and so forth.
One of the strategies that you may implement is to cut down on your intake of carbohydrates. This will ensure that your blood sugar does not rise to very high levels. Substitute these foods with more fats and proteins which have less sugar content. Apart from controlling the hormone levels, other parameters such as blood pressure and triglycerides are also lowered.
Another important strategy is the use of physical exercise. Taking part in exercise at least 3 days a week helps in burning excess glucose. Brief periods of exercise also stimulate the autonomic nervous system to release adrenaline which facilitates glucagon action by the liver. Glucagon is a hormone that opposes a fall in blood glucose levels.
Physical exercise must be coordinated with the dietary modification. If this is not done, the gains made by the exercise are negated by poor dietary habits. Other habits that should be avoided include the consumption of alcohol and tobacco smoking. Both of these have been found to raise sugar levels. One should focus on relieving stress through having enough sleep and meditating.
One can liaise with a nutritionist to come up with detailed program on diet. This is a major step if you intend to reverse insulin resistance. Recommended supplements include chromium, glutamine and vitamin. Minor ones include manganese, magnesium and vitamins B, C and E. The supplements not only help in diet adjustment but in lowering sugar levels. An ideal diet will be one containing fish, eggs, lean meat, vegetables without starch and clean drinking water.
The mechanisms involved in hormone resistance are a bit complicated for the layman to understand but the main thing that you need to know is that resistance occurs when the amount of hormone produced does not meet the demands of the body. This can also be termed as relative insulin deficiency. It is a typical occurrence in type two diabetes. The commonest cause of this occurrence is a change in hormone receptors.
Many of the signs and symptom of this condition are not given much concern since they are always assumed to be something else. Relative insulin deficiency may present as fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, excessive thirst, frequent urination among others. Biochemical findings include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and acidosis. A lab test will therefore be required to decide whether one is a diabetic or not.
The aetiology of resistance is majorly related to lifestyle. It is based on the fact that more hormone production is triggered when blood sugar is raised. This in turn reduces the affinity of the hormone to appropriate receptors. Factors that can cause increased blood sugar include caffeine, alcohol, foods with high content of sugar, stress and so forth.
One of the strategies that you may implement is to cut down on your intake of carbohydrates. This will ensure that your blood sugar does not rise to very high levels. Substitute these foods with more fats and proteins which have less sugar content. Apart from controlling the hormone levels, other parameters such as blood pressure and triglycerides are also lowered.
Another important strategy is the use of physical exercise. Taking part in exercise at least 3 days a week helps in burning excess glucose. Brief periods of exercise also stimulate the autonomic nervous system to release adrenaline which facilitates glucagon action by the liver. Glucagon is a hormone that opposes a fall in blood glucose levels.
Physical exercise must be coordinated with the dietary modification. If this is not done, the gains made by the exercise are negated by poor dietary habits. Other habits that should be avoided include the consumption of alcohol and tobacco smoking. Both of these have been found to raise sugar levels. One should focus on relieving stress through having enough sleep and meditating.
One can liaise with a nutritionist to come up with detailed program on diet. This is a major step if you intend to reverse insulin resistance. Recommended supplements include chromium, glutamine and vitamin. Minor ones include manganese, magnesium and vitamins B, C and E. The supplements not only help in diet adjustment but in lowering sugar levels. An ideal diet will be one containing fish, eggs, lean meat, vegetables without starch and clean drinking water.
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