
The Consequences of Long-Term Insulin Resistance

Do you really know what insulin is and how it works?
Insulin is the hormone that regulates how much glucose is in your blood, and iInsulin resistance is, in essence, a development in your body in which imperceptible changes occur that lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Because of their integrative approach, the Gain Wellness Center team is well-equipped to diagnose and treat insulin resistance, but they offer a wide range of other services as well.
Dr. Mandeep Walia-Bhatia and Dr. Jeremy La Motte zero in on insulin resistance while reviewing how all your body’s systems are working and help mitigate other factors that might be impacting your health.
Dr. La Motte’s combination of special training in digestive issues, ER experience, and international relief work make him especially empathetic to patients’ struggles, while Dr. Bhatia’s similarly caring nature and emphasis on educating patients to empower them means that they’re a complementary and powerful team.
Why is insulin important?
Insulin does critical work. When you eat, your food breaks down into blood sugar. After it enters your bloodstream, your pancreas gets the message to produce insulin.
Insulin aids blood sugar’s entry into your cells, where it can be used as energy. As the blood sugar enters your cells, bloodstream levels decrease, and insulin production should decrease as well. Insulin also tells your liver to store blood sugar to be used as energy later.
When your insulin levels are lower, your liver is prompted to release the blood sugar it has held in reserve, so fuel is available even if you haven’t eaten for hours.
What is insulin resistance?
When it’s functioning properly, your body keeps your blood sugar in equilibrium, but when things go awry, insulin resistance develops. If your fat, muscle, and liver cells don’t respond correctly to insulin, they’re unable to retrieve the glucose from your blood and store it efficiently.
When your cells are resistant to insulin, your blood glucose levels go up (hyperglycemia), and you’re at risk for prediabetes and then type 2 diabetes.
One in three Americans may be living with the effects of insulin resistance syndrome.
Unfortunately, insulin resistance is related to other concerning health conditions, including:
- Obesity
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Metabolic syndrome (conditions that raises your risk of serious health problems)
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Insulin resistance and its associated complications are compelling examples of how a single condition can “snowball” into a host of problems.
Symptoms that point to insulin resistance include a blood pressure of 130/80 or higher, high cholesterol, vision changes, and a waistline measurement of over 40 inches for men, and 35 inches for women. You may also notice skin tags and darkened skin patches on your neck or armpits.
What insulin resistance treatments are available?
Gain Wellness Center’s functional medicine approach means that we’re able to offer the most advanced insulin resistance treatments.
Our Complete Wellness Evaluation is a uniquely comprehensive assessment of each of the main elements that determine your health:
- Hormonal health
- Activity level and fitness
- Diet
- Cellular health for an optimally performing liver
- Stress level
Once we evaluate these components, we create a highly customized treatment plan for you.
Living with extra body fat contributes to inflammation, which is thought to be related to insulin resistance. Physical inactivity, hormonal disorders, a family history of diabetes, and a diet high in processed foods, saturated fats, and carbohydrates also lead to insulin resistance. Smoking, taking certain medications, and simply getting older increase your insulin resistance risk as well.
You can develop either temporary or chronic insulin resistance, but if it’s left untreated for too long, you can end up with type 2 diabetes, a condition you want to avoid, since it leads to other complications, from vision loss to neuropathy.
Depending on your specific circumstances, we might recommend a combination of the following treatments to address your insulin resistance:
- Increased daily exercise
- A diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and lean protein
- Weight loss (which the improved diet aids)
- A change in medication
- Blood/saliva testing for hormonal imbalances, followed by hormone replacement therapy
We may also give you detoxification strategies for your home and cellular detoxification treatment if you’re found to have a hormonal problem.
We also know that stress impacts insulin production. We look into how we can help you manage your stress in healthier ways, whether that’s through taking a yoga class, hanging out with a friend, or indulging in something you love to do, from playing with your dog to embarking on a DIY project.
You’re in the best hands at Gain Wellness Center because we’re your partners in health. Contact our office at 858-216-2129 to schedule a free consultation, or book one through our website.
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