Hello everyone, in today's post I will share with you this useful information about diabetes and insulin.
A few days ago I wrote a post about my dad who has had diabetes for many years and who takes insulin daily in the morning and in the evening has type 2 blood sugar.
Yesterday my godfather shared this useful information with us since my godfather is a doctor in the diabetes department, more precisely in the diabetes department, so I wrote down everything he told us yesterday and left it to us to have, and plus I decided to copy it all here now and share it with it may help some of you, so let's get started.
Although insulin resistance was not so common before, today you probably know a friend or family member who has developed insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be very dangerous because it increases the risk of developing prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and a number of other serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke and cancer.
What exactly is insulin and what does insulin resistance mean?
Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that helps glucose (sugar) from the blood to be used for energy in muscle, fat and liver cells. If you have resistance, ie. insulin resistance, your body produces enough insulin, however, it cannot be used effectively. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the cells of the body become resistant to insulin. Instead of being absorbed into the cells, glucose accumulates in the blood, which can lead to prediabetes.
Who is most at risk for insulin resistance?
People who have genetic or life factors that increase the risk of developing insulin resistance. Risk factors include: obesity, age 45 or older, parent, sister or brother with diabetes, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, history of gestational diabetes, history of heart disease or stroke, polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS.
People who have metabolic syndrome - a combination of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high waist circumference - are most likely to develop insulin resistance.
In addition to these risk factors, other things can contribute to insulin resistance, such as:
drugs such as glucocorticoids, antipsychotics and HIV drugs, hormonal disorders such as Cushing's syndrome and acromegaly, sleep problems, especially sleep apnea.
What is the cause of insulin resistance?
Researchers are not entirely sure what causes insulin resistance, but they believe that excess weight and lack of physical activity are the main factors.
Experts believe that obesity, especially the deposition of fatty tissue in the abdomen and around the organs, which is called visceral fat, is the main cause of insulin resistance. Waist circumference of 102 centimeters or more for men and 88 centimeters or more for women is associated with insulin resistance. This is true even if your body mass index (BMI) is within normal limits. Researchers have long thought that adipose tissue function is only for energy storage. However, studies have shown that belly fat produces hormones and other substances that can contribute to chronic or long-term inflammation in the body. Inflammation may play a role in insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Insufficient physical activity is also associated with insulin resistance. Regular physical activity causes changes in your body that allow you to maintain a balance of blood glucose levels.
What are the symptoms of insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance usually has no symptoms, but some people may notice hyperpigmentation under the armpits or on the back and neck folds, a condition called black acanthosis.
How can I prevent the development of insulin resistance?
Although you cannot change risk factors such as family history, age, or ethnicity, you can change your diet, physical activity, and weight. Research has shown that losing 5-7% of your initial body weight helps your body respond better to insulin. Taking small steps, such as a healthy diet and more exercise, and getting support from your healthcare team, family and friends, can help you make lifestyle changes that can reduce your chances of developing resistance, or reverse insulin resistance, and prediabetes.
So I shared with you the information I got from my godfather that I really didn't know until he told me all that yesterday.
Take care of your health, thank you for reading the post.
While reading your article, it reminds me to take good care of my body and to live a healthy lifestyle. From the article, I am definitely prone to becoming insulin resistant. I must admit that my lifestyle is sedentary and my father before he died was a diabetic.