Insulin resistance?!

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eraser51
eraser51 Posts: 63 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I followed a low carb diet for 2 years now and supressed/reversed(??) my insulin resistance

How can I increase my insulin sensitivity and start again burning carbs?

any advice?


Should I implement starch?
How slowly?
Did someone already experienced this?
Did someone do IF?
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Replies

  • eraser51
    eraser51 Posts: 63 Member
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    bump
  • QueenHanifa
    QueenHanifa Posts: 180 Member
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    bump
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    I'm curious about this. I have IR too, but my approach has been to go for the 30g limit of starchy/sugar per eating occasion and eating it always with fat and protein.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I was insulin resistant for ten years, then type 2 for another ten years, before putting it in to remission through bariatric surgery. My latest two A1C were at 6.

    I have always eaten a balanced plate including carbs.

    From my personal experience, you can slow carb absorption by including fat, fiber, and protein in to the meal. Of course, always watch your portions. Vinegar, such as salt-and-vinegar chips or salad dressing, also slows down absorption.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Exercise (lifting weights & high intensity sprints especially) and fasting are going to give you the most benefit but here's a list of 25 things that improve insulin sensitivity. Exercise (and a reasonable carb count) is key though -- please don't meditate, drink tea etc. and think that's enough.
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
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    Has your sensitivity changed recently?
  • mjudd1990
    mjudd1990 Posts: 219 Member
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    Increasing lean muscle mass is probably the best way. Adipose tissue aka fat doesn't respond as well to insulin. Also, 15-30 min of light aerobics or resistance training following meals can help blunt post-prandial glucose spikes. Adopting a high protein/fat and low carb diet helps but only so much as your liver will continue making sugar via glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis unless your carbs become low enough to throw you into ketogenesis
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    http://caloriesproper.com/insulin-resistance/ has some interesting reading. An HbA1c of 6 doesn't look good.

    Two days a week of calorie restriction did better for insulin resistance than continuous restriction in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017674/table/T4/ which may support an IF approach.

    The Atkins "carb ladder" approach might be worth a look - http://www.controlcarb.com/ccn-lifestyle.htm (scroll down) or http://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/reach-your-goal-by-climbing-the-carb-ladder
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
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    I've done IF and lots of brisk, hilly walking. Fiber too. It has improved IR considerably. I can now have a meal of white carbs like rice without falling asleep immediately or go into hypoglycemia.

    Intense cardio helps deplete liver, and to some extent muscle, glycogen. Heavy lifting is good for muscle glycogen expenditure. IMO exercise is key component for my success. Fasting is a good add-on.

    There's lots of info on how to improve insulin sensitivity. Reading this guy's blog helped me a lot: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com

    He also has a very informative youtube channel.

    Good luck :)
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
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    Tagging.
  • MarciRenee74
    MarciRenee74 Posts: 22 Member
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    I would recommend IF combined with LCHF, striving to stay in ketosis. You can't going to help your metabolism / insulin resistance by going back to carbs.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    eraser51 wrote: »
    I followed a low carb diet for 2 years now and supressed/reversed(??) my insulin resistance

    How can I increase my insulin sensitivity and start again burning carbs?

    any advice?


    Should I implement starch?
    How slowly?
    Did someone already experienced this?
    Did someone do IF?

    So you used to be insulin resistant but are not any more. Yet you are asking how to become less insulin resistant... which you have already done.

    Maybe you should clarify.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    I don't understand the question I guess.

    Insulin resistance is most often caused by obesity and inactivity. If you've reversed your IR, keep doing what you're doing. If you want to add more carbs into your diet, do that. Carbs won't cause your IR to come back.

    I reversed mine by losing 75 pounds and getting active. I have a moderate carb intake. All I need to do now is stay active and not become obese again.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    @yarwell , what's wrong with an A1C of 6? My medical team is very pleased.

    @midwester85, I took the OP to mean they want to start adding carbohydrates (starch) back in to the diet without blowing their sugar numbers.
  • MarciRenee74
    MarciRenee74 Posts: 22 Member
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    The only reason an low A1c would/could/should cause concern is if you're having hypoglycemic issues. If you aren't, you're good to go. If you are having issues that's something to address.

    Most people who haven't had type 2 diabetes and reversed it don't understand that.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    @jgnatca I get the sense that OP believes he is no longer type 2 / insulin resistant based on good BG's (blood glucose), but then if he eats carbs, his BG's skyrocket and don't come down. If that is the case, he is wrong... he is still insulin resistant. In such case, he needs to lose weight.

    If he eats carbs and his BG's do NOT go up and stay high for a prolonged period of time (several hours), then he is right in that he is no longer insulin resistant. In such case, he can eat carbs like anyone else.

    Of course, these are very simplistic answers based on assumptions about what OP means. Of course OP should ask his endocrinologist about this, as s/he would know his current status and history.

    *Also, as a double diabetic (i.e. I have both type 1 and type 2) who has more training than most GP's about diabetes, I definitely support that 6% is an acceptable A1C. Whomever says 6% is too high clearly does not know what they are talking about.
  • MarciRenee74
    MarciRenee74 Posts: 22 Member
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    @jgnatca - they were worried the A1c was too low at 6...
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Hm. The article posted above (caloriesproper.com) is an opinion piece, demonising carbs again.

    A1C of 6 is very good. It relates fairly closely to the mmol/l measurements used in Canada. I believe Americans use mg/dl, which are shocking to me until I remember to do the conversion.

    mollmgdlconvert.jpg

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