What is insulin resistance and what can I do about it?

What is insulin resistance? Insulin resistance is a stage before pre-diabetes. In short, it is a condition where you produce too much insulin. As a result, you will store fat around the abdomen (and visceral fat around the internal organs – a very dangerous situation). Left unchecked, it increases your risk of developing metabolic disorders, Type 2 diabetes and numerous other inherent health risks.

Why does this happen? Well, it can have various causes, but a great proportion of people with insulin resistance have become that way through their diet. It has been well documented that insulin resistance occurs in some people when they Continue Reading »

Why am I insulin resistant?

Insulin resistance is so prevalent now (various statistics I’ve seen say 1 in 4 people, sometimes as high as 1 in 3 (in the US), have insulin resistant bodies. How can it be that this is so widespread?

Yes, a proportion of these people are genetically predisposed to the condition and may already have quite healthy diets and exercise regimes. But the great majority have been affected by what they do/don’t do and eat/don’t eat.

Continue Reading »

Interview with an Expert on the Glycemic Index

I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Professor Jennie Brand-Miller from the University of Sydney, who is one of the foremost experts on the Glycemic Index. Jennie and her team are responsible for the testing and rating of carbohydrate foods on the GI scale, a reliable, scientific method of measuring a food’s effect on blood glucose levels.

The success I have had is mainly due to the low GI diet – which is a balanced, nutritious way of eating  for everyone, but of particular benefit to anyone who is insulin resistant, as it was initially developed for diabetics. The key is not eliminating carbohydrates completely from the diet (which works, but is difficult to sustain), but rather in making wise choices when it comes to carbohydrates. Continue Reading »

Insulin Resistance Weight Loss

Does insulin resistance weight loss happen for everyone on a low carb diet? Whereas it’s hard to say with 100% certainty, the results are more likely with a low carb diet than any other way. By getting rid of the refined starches in our diets, we not only regain control of our appetites, we also start to increase insulin sensitivity, so that our bodies respond more normally to our food intake.

Our diet dilemmas are different from other dieters’ – people with insulin resistance are not just looking for quick weight loss, we need something that will sustain us and which will help to restore us to good health.

But what if I’m not losing?

Insulin resistance weight loss is usually quite fast when you begin your new regime, but for those of you who have hit a plateau or are just not seeing the results you’d like, this post is for you! Continue Reading »

Insulin resistance symptoms

How do I know if I’m insulin resistant?

The apple shape vs the pear shape

The first clue that you may be insulin resistant is the distribution of fat on your body, as demonstrated in the “apple” vs “pear” shaped body images.

Insulin resistance is characterized by abdominal fat, as in the “apple” shape on the left. The rolls of fat around the midsection, the swollen belly – these are the classic signs. The accumulation of fat around and above the waistline is a danger sign.

In the “pear” shape, the weight is mostly below the waistline, on the hips and thighs, and the abdomen is markedly flatter. If you’re pear-shaped, you are unlikely to have insulin resistance. Continue Reading »

5 not-so-healthy foods for insulin resistance!

Welcome and thanks for signing up to receive this free gift. I hope you will enjoy learning about these 5 not so healthy foods for insulin resistance – most people have no clue about these, and you may find that changing just one of them will bring you fantastic results!

Click the image to claim your free gift!

Click on the image for the PDF document (click to view in your browser, right-click to save it to your computer).

Feel free to pass it on – there are no catches and no costs involved. If I can help more people then I am delighted to share this with anyone who may benefit!

I was diagnosed with IR in February 2011, and (like you) I wanted to understand the condition and make changes to reverse it – if possible without having to resort to medication. I started this website to help you too!

My website is full of free information – the articles were all written by me as I learned more about IR and the best way to go about making changes. Please look around! You can just go to the home page and scroll down to see articles that may help you, or you can find a list of them in the sidebar on the right.

Blood sugar imbalance

As many of you know, I have put together a program over at reverseinsulinresistance.com to help people learn to make changes to their diet when they have been diagnosed as insulin resistant. These changes are the ones I have applied myself and I can testify that they work (as can many hundreds of people who have done the same thing). I have mentioned the core principles here on this website many times, but let me summarize:

To start to lessen the spikes in blood glucose which result in the over-production of insulin, the key elements you want to focus on are as follows:

• Decrease the amount of starchy carbohydrate and sugar that you consume
• Increase protein
• Increase fiber by eating more green vegetables
• Exercise regularly

This is a great place to start and is a simple concept that anybody can apply. People who have done just this have emailed me to report enormous changes – weight loss, controlled appetite, feeling better in general, more energy… it all starts with awareness.

However, there is so much more to know, if you’re interested! Continue Reading »

Insulin Resistance and Exercise

Let’s talk about exercise.. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite subject but it goes hand in hand with your diet to combat insulin resistance and to make sure you reverse it. When you follow a diet for insulin resistance and exercise too, you are giving yourself the best possible chance of staying healthy, losing that stubborn abdominal fat for good and never having to face the prospect of diabetes. In fact, exercising is THE KEY, so please don’t think you can do this with diet alone.

One of the most frustrating things about having insulin resistance is that you may well have been dieting and exercising, just as hard as anyone else, doing all the right things – yet still becoming fatter and more sluggish. Well, now we know it’s not our fault! Continue Reading »

Natrol Carb Intercept with Phase 2

The carb blocker I have seen most information about is Natrol Carb Intercept. I first saw it recommended by JJ Virgin, so with an endorsement like that, I thought I would research it more.

Natrol Carb Intercept is advertised to be “clinically tested to support a low-carb lifestyle and support weight loss”. One of its benefits, like all carb blockers, is that it allows you to still enjoy the foods you love. Natrol Carb Intercept features Phase 2 Starch Neutralizer, the first nutritional ingredient that has been clinically and scientifically proven to neutralize the starch found in many foods such as potatoes, pasta and breads.

Each capsule inhibits the enzyme responsible for converting the starch into glucose (and fat), helping to reduce the absorption of starch calories. Intended for use in conjunction with a healthy calorie reduction and exercise program, Natrol Carb Intercept contains no yeast, wheat, corn, milk, egg, soy, glutens, artificial colors, or added sugar or preservatives. Continue Reading »

This post is not about insulin resistance or low carb diets. It’s simply a post to let you know that I am a real person, that this site has been put together entirely by me, as a result of my being diagnosed with insulin resistance, learning what insulin resistance diet to follow, and wanting to share the information I have discovered, in an authentic and heart-centred way, with others who are suffering or looking for answers.

There is a lot of information out there and my voice is a small one amongst all the information marketers. Yes, I have put some posts together with product recommendations if I think they’ll be helpful and yes, I have used some words and phrases a little repetitively – this is a tactic so that my words will be found by the search engines, so that people who are seeking help will find me.

My language is English and I am proud to speak it fluently and write it naturally.  I am not bagging people whose native language is not English; I myself speak 2 other languages and I admire anyone who writes in a language that is not their own – it’s extremely challenging! However, I am sick of seeing websites that are clearly automated, articles which are “spun” – in other words, synonyms are used to replace words and phrases – to the point where they’re just gibberish.

You’ll know that I’m real because I’m a bit opinionated and don’t try to hide it. There are times when I might seem outraged or perplexed – signs of a real human being!  However, I’d like to think that the actual information I provide is useful and presented in a way that will allow you to make the best choices for yourself on your new path to optimum health.

Please do leave a comment – I’d love to hear back from some other REAL people out there!