– I do not have any medical experience, just sharing my research. –
For those of you who either have Type 2 Diabetes or think they might be at risk to get it, I want to help by sharing the knowledge I've accumulated over the years from watching webinars, attending conferences, from my own research and from having lived with Type 1 Diabetes for over 45 years.
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Insulin resistance is the cause of Type 2 Diabetes, is the main driver for fat storage and obesity, can result in elevated inflammatory markers and hypertension, and also increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease which is referred to as Type 3 Diabetes. Even though this page focuses on Type 2 Diabetes, the information below applies to all of the above conditions and more!
The good news is, Type 2 Diabetes is ... reversible!
Insulin is a chemical messenger that instructs the cells in your muscles, brain and liver to absorb the glucose from your blood and store it as glycogen, where it can later be used for energy. Insulin resistance is when cells resist/ignore the insulin signal that tells them to absorb glucose.
Why does this happen? The insulin signaling pathway breaks down when there is excess fat stored in and around the organs and muscles, which inhibits insulin from transporting glucose into the cells. This then results in higher glucose levels in the blood (pre-diabetes or Type II Diabetes), which also triggers elevated insulin levels called "hyperinsulinemia" (linked to heart disease and cancer).
So Type II Diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar, it is caused by eating too much fat!!
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Note: This table mentions insulin sensitivity, which refers to how responsive your cells are to insulin.
So insulin resistance means a low sensitivity, and conversely low resistance means a higher sensitivity.
Factors leading to insulin resistance:
- OBESITY
- Fat cells secrete hormones and other substances that interferes with insulin signalling.
- Excessive visceral (“abdominal cavity”) fat stored around the liver, pancreas and intestines can cause chronic inflammation, which can trigger insulin resistance.
- INACTIVE LIFESTYLE
- Exercise is critical in keeping blood sugars steady, allowing muscles to absorb glucose.
- DIET
- A diet high in saturated fat results in excess fat in the abdominal cavity, which in turn inhibits the insulin signalling pathway that allows glucose to be absorbed.
- INFLAMMATION
- Researchers have shown that TNF-alpha (inflammation) activates proteins that suppress insulin-signaling pathways, making the human body less responsive to insulin. A “leaky” gut is a major cause of inflammation.
Reversing Type 2 Diabetes (yes, it's reversible!):
- Weight reduction, reduced belly fat. Losing fat surrounding the pancreas and liver through diet can re-start the normal insulin signalling pathways.
- Consistent sleep of 7-8 hours per night. Losing 1 to 3 hours of sleep may increase risk of insulin resistance.
- Exercise increases your body's ability to pull glucose into your cells and use that glucose for energy.
- Healthy diet:
- Avoid processed foods, simple sugars, certain saturated fats (animal fats, red meat) and hydrogenated oil (prevalent in processed foods).
- Reduce alcohol consumption, as this will increase the amount of fat around the liver, causing higher insulin resistance.
- Green tea helps increase insulin sensitivity and overall health.
- Eat a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish and legumes...essentially a Mediterranean diet!
- You suspect you have a “leaky” gut? Following the above nutrition tips is a good start to improving your gut health!
Note that you do not need to be overweight to have excessive visceral ("abdominal cavity") fat! My dad was a good example. He was skinny as a beanpole, but developed Type 2 Diabetes later in life. He had a high metabolism, and consumed three sandwiches at lunch and two before bed filled with liver paté and processed lunch meats. I can just imagine that "hidden" visceral fat.
What about insulin resistance for Type 1 diabetics?
People with Type 1 diabetes do not necessarily have insulin resistance.
Here are two formulas you can use to get a feel for your sensitivity level.
units = average units of insulin per day
kg = your weight in kilograms
lb = your weight in pounds
| Calculation | What does it mean? |
| units / kg | > 0.5 indicates insulin resistance |
| lb X 0.24 | units per day for normal insulin sensitivity, a higher daily average indicates insulin resistance |
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Interesting Facts about Herbs and Spices
Turmeric: Contains an active component called curcumin, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It seems to increase insulin sensitivity by reducing free fatty acids and sugar in the blood.
Ginger: This popular spice is linked to increased insulin sensitivity. Studies have found that its active component gingerol makes sugar receptors on muscle cells more available, increasing sugar uptake.
Garlic: Appears to improve insulin secretion and has antioxidant properties that increase insulin sensitivity.
Cinnamon: Can help increase insulin sensitivity by increasing glucose transport into cells and may even mimic insulin to increase sugar uptake from the bloodstream.
I hope having this knowledge will help one or more of you avoid or reverse T2D!
Please use the contact page if you have any questions.
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