Are you struggling with losing weight or even maintaining your weight? Do you have abdominal fat that you cannot lose no matter what you try? Do you have a chronic illness and trying to control the symptoms you are experiencing.
Believe it or not there is a simple answer to this question.
Insulin Resistance!
You may have heard of this before but never understood what it meant. Or, you have heard people with Diabetes say the are “resistant to their insulin”. But have you ever heard that it is the cause of many other illnesses in the body?
Let me explain it to you in a simple way so maybe you can start to understand why you are “stuck” in your weight loss journey. Or having pain that does not get better no matter what you try. And have headaches requiring pescription medications. Rashes that noone can explain. Abdominal bloating that makes you look 6 months pregnant and you feel uncomfortable. You have fatigue so abd during the day, caffeine no longer works for you.
Normally I like to draw out a diagram for my patients and clients explaining the process of insulin resistance. Since I cannot draw for you, I will try my best to explain it in writing.
Here goes:
When you eat/drink your body turns that food into sugar(glucose) to be used for energy.
Glucose is supposed to enter your blood cells so they can be transported to parts of your body to be used for the energy required for daily living.
The hormone Insulin is the “Key” that allows the glucose to enter your cells. Insulin needs to “unlock” the door to get into teh red blood cell to allow the Glucose to exit that cell and be used appropriately.
Sometimes, there is a layer of fat surrounding the red blood cells which makes it very difficult and sometimes impossible for the key to open the door. This results in sugar being left inside the red blood cell and Insulin left outside floating around.
This high level of insulin and glucose in the body is a result of Insulin Resistance. Your red blood cells resist the key from opening the lock……….The glucose resists the help of the Insulin!
Now you have high levels of glucose and insulin floating around in your body. When you don’t need all of the glucose you have ingested from your diet, and the resistance to Insulin will cause your body to store the excess glucose as fat, slowing your metabolism down. Guess where the fat gets stored first?
This fat storage will increase food cravings and cause a generalized inflammatory process leading to metabolic syndrome. This is how people develop obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Insulin Ressistance is associated with chronic illnesses such as PCOS, hyperlipidemia, HTN, Obesity, Dementia, Eretile dysfunction, infertility, Osteoporosis, inflammation, NASH(fatty liver), sleep apnea, insomnia/poor sleep quality, Cancer of the breast, uterus, colon and lung. Did you know that cancer loves to grow where there is sugar and inflammation.
Think about the symptoms you may be experiencing. They start out as a feeling then eventually turn into an illness as listed above.
- fatigue
- headaches
- diarrhea alternating with constipation
- acne
- rashes
- jont pain
- swelling in your hands and feet
- dry skin
- blurred vision
- forgetfullness
- brain fog
- confusion
The good news………
When you focus on eating for your health instead of for comfort or just to lose weight, you will reduce your risk of developing insulin resistance or you can completely reverse the insulin resistance you are currently experiencing.
If you are anything like me, you have tried everything to lose weight or just feel better. Pills, supplements, drinks, smoothies, workouts……. These things may have worked temporarily or they made things worse.
Everything you have tried or are trying is not going to work long term because you need to get to the root of the problem…….
Fix the Insulin Resistance!
Sounds difficult doesn’t it?
It sure can be without the right information.
Simple steps taken daily will start to improve your overall immunity. This means better controlled insulin and blood sugar levels resulting in the ablility to fight and treat disease. When you start early you will prevent disease. When you treat NOW you can reverse disease!
How do you treat Insulin Resistance? Improve your insulin sensitivity.
Use food for what it’s meant for!
Eat when you are hungry!
Eat for a lifestyle!
Control the food, don’t let food control you!
When you start paying attention to what you eat, how much and why you are eating, you will start to lose fat resulting in decreased inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity.
Start with these simple questions:
- Am I hungry?
- Do I need that?
- Will it benefit me or hurt me?
- Why do I want it?
Ask yourself these questions every time you reach for food.
If you are NOT hungry, don’t eat. It’s simple. If you eat when your not hungry that means you are eating due to your emotions! Eating when you are emotionally trying to help something means NO you don’t need it; YES it will hurt you.
When you eat because you are actually hungry and stop when you are full, guess what???
You are listening to your body!
You give your body what it needs, not what it thinks it wants!
You are eating for health!
Are you ready to START listening to your body and STOP listening to your mind?
If your answer is YES, then it’s time to start right now to get your health on track so you can feel better! Imagine how you will feel without all of those symtoms I listed above!! It’s possible, you just have to do it! You have to take the next step! You need to start listening to what your body needs!
When was the last time you actually payed attention to what your body was telling you? Like really listened???