With the spread of type 2 diabetes, many terms associated with it have spread, such as insulin resistance, prediabetes, and diabetes. In this article we will show the difference between them and how insulin resistance and prediabetes can be reversed and recovered from type 2 diabetes through changes. Lifestyle.
Insulin resistance
Insulin regulates the levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is a hormone made by the pancreas and functions in the following mechanism:
- After eating a meal, the body breaks it down into glucose (sugar), which is the body’s main source of energy.
- Glucose moves into the bloodstream, sending a signal to the pancreas to secrete insulin .
- Insulin gets glucose in the blood into your liver, muscle, and fat cells so they can use it for energy or store it for later use.
- When glucose enters the cells, its levels in the blood decrease, which sends a signal to the pancreas to stop producing insulin.
When cells in the muscle, liver, and adipose tissue do not respond properly to insulin, this results in insulin resistance , also known as poor insulin sensitivity.
There are several reasons why cells in muscle, liver, and fat cells do not respond incorrectly to insulin, which means that they cannot absorb glucose from the blood or store it efficiently. As a result, the pancreas produces more insulin to try to cope with the increased sugar levels in the blood. the blood. This is called hyperinsulinemia.
As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome the cells’ poor response to insulin, blood sugar levels will remain in the normal range, but when the cells become too resistant to insulin, this results in the blood sugar level rising above the normal limit, which leads to Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of insulin resistance
There are no symptoms of insulin resistance when the pancreas can cope with insulin resistance by increasing insulin production to keep blood sugar levels within the normal range, but over time, insulin resistance can increase to the point where the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to overcome it. On insulin resistance, in this case symptoms of high blood sugar appear, which are:
- Increased thirst.
- frequent urination.
- Increased hunger.
- Headache
- Blurred vision.
- Delayed healing of wounds and ulcers.
- Vaginal and skin infections.
Reverse insulin resistance
Insulin resistance has several causes and contributing factors. While lifestyle changes, such as following a healthy, low-carb diet, losing excess weight, and exercising regularly, can reduce insulin resistance and increase insulin sensitivity, so it is important to talk with your doctor and dietitian to discuss possible options for reversing insulin resistance.
How does diet affect insulin resistance?
Diet greatly affects blood sugar and insulin levels . Carbohydrate-rich foods and processed foods require a higher amount of insulin, and eating foods with a low to medium glycemic index helps reverse and/or manage insulin resistance.
Prediabetes
It is a health condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes , and causes an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Prediabetes can be stopped and its progression to type 2 diabetes can be stopped through lifestyle modifications that include following a low-carbohydrate diet, losing excess weight, and getting regular moderate exercise.
Symptoms of prediabetes
It is possible to develop prediabetes without any symptoms appearing for several years.
It often goes undetected until serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes develop, so it’s important to have your blood sugar tested if any of the risk factors for diabetes are present, which include:
- overweight.
- Age over 45 years.
- Having a family history of diabetes.
- Inactivity and lack of physical activity.
- Exercising less than 3 times a week.
- Gestational diabetes .
- Giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome.
If you have prediabetes, it can be reversed and your risk of developing type 2 diabetes reduced through lifestyle changes and a healthy lifestyle, which includes the following three steps:
- Healthy diet
It means avoiding eating sugar and foods rich in carbohydrates, eating fruits in moderation and eating a lot of vegetables, eating foods rich in protein, and foods rich in healthy fats such as fatty fish, nuts, and olive oil.
- Losing excess weight
This means losing about 5% to 7% of body weight, which is only 10 to 14 pounds for a person who weighs 200 pounds.
- Regular physical activity
This means at least 150 minutes a week of brisk walking or similar activity. This means just 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
What is the difference between insulin resistance, prediabetes and diabetes?
Insulin resistance can occur temporarily or chronically, but if left untreated, chronic insulin resistance leads to prediabetes and then type 2 diabetes.
- Normal values for fasting blood sugar: 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) and 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L).
- Prediabetes: If fasting blood sugar is between 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L), lifestyle changes must be made. And constantly monitor blood sugar levels.
- Diabetes: If your fasting blood sugar is 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance
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