Insulin resistance

[doublelifeofvanessa]

I think I may have insulin resistance because my underarms are slightly dark. I'm not diabetic (my blood sugar is good), but diabetes runs in my family.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of foods I should be eliminating? I don't eat sweets that much and I only eat whole grains. I really don't like the idea of cutting out carbs all together...

 

[nkhansen1]

I have severe insulin resistance as a result of PCOS. I was on medication for it when I was first diagnosed because it was so bad. I was told my by doctor that I needed to opt for a diet high in animal protein to control it, but that DID NOT sit well with me as a way of eating that would be good for me in the long run.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to adopt a vegetarian diet. My doctor was upset by this; however, when I went back in for blood work after two months on my new diet, my insulin levels were completely normal and I was taken off all medication. My doctor was completely shocked.

That was 16 years ago, and I have since made the transition to vegan, eating no meat, dairy or eggs; only fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains. I even grind my own flour and make all our bread. I have controlled my insulin resistance entirely with my diet and exercise. You don't have to give up carbs, you just have to be smart about them. I know that if I eat anything white (sugar, flour, rice, potatoes), I will be sick almost immediately with horrible headaches, nausea, dizziness and tired-feeling.

Several of my insulin resistance/PCOS symptoms - brown patches, skin tags, irregular periods, acne - didn't improve at all until I became vegan, at which time they all disappeared entirely. However, I know that not many are keen to make that kind of lifestyle change!

From my experience, I don't find that you have to 100% eliminate something, but definitely restrict anything processed, refined sugars, white flour, white rice and starchy potatoes, like Russets. I still have birthday cake and a cookie now and then, but only a few times a year. I know how gross I feel after I eat that kind of thing, so it's pretty easy to stay away! I don't have a reaction to any type of whole food at all, even the whole wheat bread I make. I can have a piece of that, and it doesn't affect me at all.

I suggest playing around with your diet a little and see what works for you. That's what I did after doing some research. Insulin resistance is really the pits!

 

[doublelifeofvanessa]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the info. I had been thinking about going vegetarian for a long time, possibly vegan (but I love eggs and cheese!). For awhile I was eating like a vegetarian and didn't even realize until I described my diet.

I really am interested in a vegetarian diet but was always a little intimidated by the idea, too. Did you have any inspiration, or really what is your main inspiration in your vegetarian cooking? (For ex. I've really become interested in 101cookbooks.com and Natalia Rose Raw Detox books).

And similarly my sister has PCOS. She is so frustrated with her condition. Thankfully though she has started to get into exercise.

 

[tralaiven]

I have severe insulin resistance as a result of PCOS. I was on medication for it when I was first diagnosed because it was so bad. I was told my by doctor that I needed to opt for a diet high in animal protein to control it, but that DID NOT sit well with me as a way of eating that would be good for me in the long run.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to adopt a vegetarian diet. My doctor was upset by this; however, when I went back in for blood work after two months on my new diet, my insulin levels were completely normal and I was taken off all medication. My doctor was completely shocked.

That was 16 years ago, and I have since made the transition to vegan, eating no meat, dairy or eggs; only fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains. I even grind my own flour and make all our bread. I have controlled my insulin resistance entirely with my diet and exercise. You don't have to give up carbs, you just have to be smart about them. I know that if I eat anything white (sugar, flour, rice, potatoes), I will be sick almost immediately with horrible headaches, nausea, dizziness and tired-feeling.

Several of my insulin resistance/PCOS symptoms - brown patches, skin tags, irregular periods, acne - didn't improve at all until I became vegan, at which time they all disappeared entirely. However, I know that not many are keen to make that kind of lifestyle change!

From my experience, I don't find that you have to 100% eliminate something, but definitely restrict anything processed, refined sugars, white flour, white rice and starchy potatoes, like Russets. I still have birthday cake and a cookie now and then, but only a few times a year. I know how gross I feel after I eat that kind of thing, so it's pretty easy to stay away! I don't have a reaction to any type of whole food at all, even the whole wheat bread I make. I can have a piece of that, and it doesn't affect me at all.

I suggest playing around with your diet a little and see what works for you. That's what I did after doing some research. Insulin resistance is really the pits!

question: what part did dairy play in your ill health? I can understand the refined flour, sugar and even meats....but I love my dairy and am curious! And what about brown rice? Do you eat that?

Other than giving up dairy, I would love to do this...but my family loves meat (mostly ckn & tky for DH and me, and the occasional red meat for my girls). I, personally, could live on beans, rice, and veg with dairy. I would have such a hard time giving up my yogurts!

Thanks.

 

[nkhansen1]

question: what part did dairy play in your ill health? I can understand the refined flour, sugar and even meats....but I love my dairy and am curious! And what about brown rice? Do you eat that?

Other than giving up dairy, I would love to do this...but my family loves meat (mostly ckn & tky for DH and me, and the occasional red meat for my girls). I, personally, could live on beans, rice, and veg with dairy. I would have such a hard time giving up my yogurts!

Thanks.

I didn't realize how dairy was affecting me until I gave it up. I had daily stomach cramps since childhood that were really debilitating at times. I also had terrible IBS. After reading on how the caseins in dairy products wreak havoc on our insides, I gave up the dairy and within two days I felt like a totally new woman. Since then my IBS and all other problems are gone!
I love brown rice and make a pot once a week to use. I can eat that with no issue.
I thought I would really miss my Greek yogurt and frozen yogurt, but I truly don't. I have lost all taste for it.

 

[nkhansen1]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the info. I had been thinking about going vegetarian for a long time, possibly vegan (but I love eggs and cheese!). For awhile I was eating like a vegetarian and didn't even realize until I described my diet.

I really am interested in a vegetarian diet but was always a little intimidated by the idea, too. Did you have any inspiration, or really what is your main inspiration in your vegetarian cooking? (For ex. I've really become interested in 101cookbooks.com and Natalia Rose Raw Detox books).

And similarly my sister has PCOS. She is so frustrated with her condition. Thankfully though she has started to get into exercise.

I started looking at vegan chefs online and websites. VeganEssentials.com, theppk.com, vegetariantimes.com, veganbodybuilding.com...My favorite vegan cookbooks are by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. She is fabulous!! I love her Appetite For Reduction and Veganomicon. Also Vegan With A Vengeance and the three small paperbacks on vegan cupcakes, cookies and pies. You can't go wrong with her! My whole family made these changes with me, so this is how my children eat as well. They really like it, and tell me all the time how much they enjoy mealtimes.
Also, Eat To Live by Joel Furhman and the documentary Forks Over Knives. Very good info and guidance.

 

[nkhansen1]

I forgot to mention a couple of my favorite vegan recipe sites: veganyumyum.com and chezbettay.com.

Don't let this way of eating intimidate you. It is so simple to cook like this, and your grocery bill will be cut in half!

 

[Katerchen]

Those with insulin resistance: Have you noticed a positive effect on insuline resistance with heavy resistance training? Every textbook is mentioning this as a result of resistance training and I wonder if it is true.

 

[nkhansen1]

Those with insulin resistance: Have you noticed a positive effect on insuline resistance with heavy resistance training? Every textbook is mentioning this as a result of resistance training and I wonder if it is true.

Any activity that significantly raises your heart rate is going to open up those faulty glucose pathways and allow the insulin to be metabolized more normally. It has been shown that a single session of exercise can increase insulin sensitivity for up to 16 hours. Experts don't know why this is, but they think is has something to do with the depletion of muscle glycogen stores, adaptations in glucose transport and metabolism. They have also seen positive changes in the way lipids are metabolized and also in glucose output by the liver (hepatic glucose).

I remember reading at some point that while they didn't know how it all works exactly, experts have seen that increased muscle mass seemed to protect against metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance. However, the study also said that while the link between aerobic exercise and increased insulin sensitivity is well known, they don't yet have definitive proof that increased muscle mass has the same effect.

My opinion? When you consider your heart rate during heavy weight training as well as what we know about all the health and metabolic benefits of having substantial muscle mass that is active 24/7, I would think all those factors have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity. It is a proven fact that with Type 1 diabetes, muscle atrophy and itsaccompanying inflammation, decreased blood flow and reduction of anabolic hormones cause horrible problems with managing blood glucose. It stands to reason that the opposite would hold true. But I'm no scientist!

Weight training certainly has worked for me all these years! I don't think I would have such good control of my hyperinsulinemia without diet, aerobic and weight training.

 

[RapidBreath]

You might look into:

1. Gymnema Sylvestre: it helps if you have had too much sugar by binding to it, it won't make you thin, but it will prevent a sugar spike on your blood sugar.
2. Definitely make sure that you focus on plenty of cardio, and you want your carbohydrate meal to be right after your cardio. The cardio helps rough up you insulin receptors.
3. Get plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, if you don't eat fish but can tolerate it, try a good fish oil supplement. It really helped me not experience sugar crashes.
4. Consider keeping your carbohydrate intake to less than 80 g/day. Focus on healthy fats as your calorie sources.
5. Try tapering your carbohydrate intake throughout the day, having more in the morning and lunch and less carb at night.
6. Avoid all fake sugars like aspartame and Splenda, the sweet taste causes your body to produce insulin, but without the sugar, the insulin is not properly absorbed and will also drop your blood sugar.
7 Avoid caffeine, it drops your blood sugar.

Get your blood sugar tested, both fasting and spot glucose testing. I used to be insulin resistant. Thats how I developed PCO. But, I don't appear to have that anymore. I am diligent about my workouts. That seems to make a big difference. I am also diligent about getting my carbs in the AM. If your insulin receptors aren't open for business, the sugar in your system can run amok.

 

[RapidBreath]

question: what part did dairy play in your ill health? I can understand the refined flour, sugar and even meats....but I love my dairy and am curious! And what about brown rice? Do you eat that?

Other than giving up dairy, I would love to do this...but my family loves meat (mostly ckn & tky for DH and me, and the occasional red meat for my girls). I, personally, could live on beans, rice, and veg with dairy. I would have such a hard time giving up my yogurts!

Thanks.

Dairy can be a big issue. It illicits (causes.) a major insulin release. Also, most non-organic dairy is full of antibiotics and hormones, including (wait for it!) estrogen!!! If you are estrogen dominant (likely), then you won't want to have anymore!!

Also, if you go vegetarian avoid the legumes with excess estrogens such as soy. It will compound the problem. You might want to avoid sweet potatoes and carrots, they are also estrogen sources. Evening primrose oil helped a lot with my pco issues.

I don't think that you need animal protein to deal with the insulin issue.

 

[RapidBreath]

Those with insulin resistance: Have you noticed a positive effect on insuline resistance with heavy resistance training? Every textbook is mentioning this as a result of resistance training and I wonder if it is true.

Not at all. Strength training never helped. But, yoga did help immensely. It just makes all the difference in the world for me. When you are stressed out, your body is producing several stress hormones including (you guessed it, right?) insulin. So, when you reduce your perceived stress, through yoga or meditation, you are improving your hormonal profile.

 

[nkhansen1]

You might look into:

1. Gymnema Sylvestre: it helps if you have had too much sugar by binding to it, it won't make you thin, but it will prevent a sugar spike on your blood sugar.
2. Definitely make sure that you focus on plenty of cardio, and you want your carbohydrate meal to be right after your cardio. The cardio helps rough up you insulin receptors.
3. Get plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, if you don't eat fish but can tolerate it, try a good fish oil supplement. It really helped me not experience sugar crashes.
4. Consider keeping your carbohydrate intake to less than 80 g/day. Focus on healthy fats as your calorie sources.
5. Try tapering your carbohydrate intake throughout the day, having more in the morning and lunch and less carb at night.
6. Avoid all fake sugars like aspartame and Splenda, the sweet taste causes your body to produce insulin, but without the sugar, the insulin is not properly absorbed and will also drop your blood sugar.
7 Avoid caffeine, it drops your blood sugar.

Get your blood sugar tested, both fasting and spot glucose testing. I used to be insulin resistant. Thats how I developed PCO. But, I don't appear to have that anymore. I am diligent about my workouts. That seems to make a big difference. I am also diligent about getting my carbs in the AM. If your insulin receptors aren't open for business, the sugar in your system can run amok.

PCOS is an endocrine disorder affecting the entire body. Insulin resistance is only a symptom of PCOS, and PCOS is something of a misnomer as the ovaries are only one part of the body that suffers the consequences. If you have PCOS, you always have it. It doesn't ever go away. You can control it, but not get rid of it.

 

[nkhansen1]

Dairy can be a big issue. It illicits (causes.) a major insulin release. Also, most non-organic dairy is full of antibiotics and hormones, including (wait for it!) estrogen!!! If you are estrogen dominant (likely), then you won't want to have anymore!!

Also, if you go vegetarian avoid the legumes with excess estrogens such as soy. It will compound the problem. You might want to avoid sweet potatoes and carrots, they are also estrogen sources. Evening primrose oil helped a lot with my pco issues.

I don't think that you need animal protein to deal with the insulin issue.

The estrogens in soy and other veggies are very weak and barely active. Everyone is different, but you can generally have two servings of soy a day without no ill effect. Soy is a regular part of my diet, but I do stick with no more than two servings a day. I think sweet potatoes are a source of progesterone, not estrogen. I didn't know that about carrots...I'm need to research that one!

 

[susanzabo]

The estrogens in soy and other veggies are very weak and barely active. Everyone is different, but you can generally have two servings of soy a day without no ill effect. Soy is a regular part of my diet, but I do stick with no more than two servings a day. I think sweet potatoes are a source of progesterone, not estrogen. I didn't know that about carrots...I'm need to research that one!

I am a huge follower of Dr. Mercola (mercola.com) and he is a a strong opponent of soy. As a result, I am going to finally give up my Kashi Go Lean. I am too frugal to throw out the cereal tho

Do you have any links to articles advocating the consumption of soy? Dr Mercola is only opposed to unfermented soy, but all of the processed food, cereals and even tofu are unfermented and a no-no in his book. I am easily swayed by whatever he says but I am interested in reading about a different perspective.

Susan

 

[nkhansen1]

I am a huge follower of Dr. Mercola (mercola.com) and he is a a strong opponent of soy. As a result, I am going to finally give up my Kashi Go Lean. I am too frugal to throw out the cereal tho

Do you have any links to articles advocating the consumption of soy? Dr Mercola is only opposed to unfermented soy, but all of the processed food, cereals and even tofu are unfermented and a no-no in his book. I am easily swayed by whatever he says but I am interested in reading about a different perspective.

Susan

I don't have anything specific bookmarked about the benefits of soy, but I have done a lot of study on it, and the community seems to be evenly divided on the matter with equally persuasive arguments. Those for it include Drs. Wiel, Oz, Campbell, Fuhrman and Esselstein, just off the top of my head. Any google search or trip to the library will bring up a plethora of studies on both sides. I tend to dismiss a lot of the negative information because. 1. I have been eating soy regularly for 16 years and have had no problems with it, and 2. Societies in which they eat a lot of soy historically don't have problems with it either. Cancer rates and thyroid diseases which you would expect to be high in places like Japan that consume a lot of soy are extremely low.
I do believe that if there is a strong family history of certain cancers or if you have thyroid problems you probably should avoid soy just to be safe.
I think this is one of those things that you have to pick a side with what you feel most comfortable with. It's very interesting to study both sides of it.

*Dr Weil's book is Eating Well For Optimum Health, and Dr Fuhrman's book is Eat To Live*

**Also, I DO NOT eat processed unfermented soy products like soy milk, soy cheese, soy burgers and the like which are junk food basically. I only consume tempeh, tofu and whole soybeans. I believe Dr. Mercola only opposes the unfermented processed soy.

 

[cokonkel]

I have a question about this subject. My mom is a type 2 diabetic and I believe it runs on her side of the family (we're a little hazy on the family medical history for her though). However, she really does not take care of herself at all. She is not only over weight but I swear she is just plain self destructive and intentionally does everything she can to be unhealthy. That aside though, I am worried if it does run in the family I may have to watch it in the future. I work out and eat well and try very hard to take care of myself...and I know that helps ward off type 2 diabetes.

My question though is this: I have noticed for the past few years that when I eat a big meal I often get somewhat drowsy after. Not always, but I seriously feel like I want to take a nap sometimes! Could this be related to insulin resistance, or is it somewhat normal as you get older to have this sometimes (I'm 39)? My blood sugar has always tested very normal and so has my blood pressure and all the other vitals when I get checked. What do you guys think? Thanks!
Colleen

 

[nkhansen1]

I have a question about this subject. My mom is a type 2 diabetic and I believe it runs on her side of the family (we're a little hazy on the family medical history for her though). However, she really does not take care of herself at all. She is not only over weight but I swear she is just plain self destructive and intentionally does everything she can to be unhealthy. That aside though, I am worried if it does run in the family I may have to watch it in the future. I work out and eat well and try very hard to take care of myself...and I know that helps ward off type 2 diabetes.

My question though is this: I have noticed for the past few years that when I eat a big meal I often get somewhat drowsy after. Not always, but I seriously feel like I want to take a nap sometimes! Could this be related to insulin resistance, or is it somewhat normal as you get older to have this sometimes (I'm 39)? My blood sugar has always tested very normal and so has my blood pressure and all the other vitals when I get checked. What do you guys think? Thanks!
Colleen

Gosh, I don't know. That would be a question for your doctor, I think. That symptom is not one I have ever experienced.

 

[RapidBreath]

Societies in which they eat a lot of soy historically don't have problems with it either. Cancer rates and thyroid diseases which you would expect to be high in places like Japan that consume a lot of soy are extremely low.

The seed that the Japanese use is not the same as the seed used in the US.

 

[nkhansen1]

Of course the beans are not exactly the same. I realize that. You have to decide what works for you and what research you choose to believe.