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Fortunately, the condition is manageable and won’t progress to diabetes with proper treatment. Even better, many of the recommended treatments are completely natural. Your doctor will almost certainly suggest dietary and lifestyle changes to regulate your blood sugar and improve your insulin sensitivity. They might also prescribe medication, so always follow your doctor’s treatment advice to manage your condition effectively.
Simple Dietary Changes
Eat whole wheat products instead of enriched flours. Enriched flours have a high glycemic index and cause your blood sugar to spike. Replace all enriched products like white breads and rice with whole wheat or grain varieties for more complex carbohydrates.
Add more natural fiber to your diet. Studies show that people with high fiber diets have a lower incidence of insulin resistance. Add more fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grain products, and fiber-enriched cereals to your diet. You can also take supplements to increase your fiber intake. However, doctors recommend getting as much fiber as possible from your normal diet before resorting to supplements.
Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help regulate your body’s glucose levels. You can get this nutrient from oily fish like salmon and sardines, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. You can also take fish oil supplements to increase your omega-3 intake, but doctors recommend getting as much as possible from your diet first.
Follow an anti-inflammatory diet to see if that helps. Since diabetes and insulin resistance can increase the inflammation in your body, an anti-inflammatory diet might help your symptoms. Follow a mostly plant-based diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Get your animal protein from lean sources like poultry or fish. Also avoid processed, fried sugary, or fatty foods. These are associated with higher levels of inflammation.
Reduce your intake of saturated fats. High-fat diets can make diabetes and insulin resistance worse, as well as cause weight-gain. Eliminate fried or processed foods that are high in saturated fats. Try to replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated “healthy” fats from nuts, fish, vegetable oil, and dairy products.
Eliminate sugary foods with a high glycemic index (GI). These foods spike your blood sugar. Foods with a high GI include desserts and sodas, enriched white products, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals.
Lifestyle Remedies
Maintain a healthy bodyweight. Being overweight is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and diabetes. Speak to your doctor to find the ideal bodyweight, then follow a diet and exercise regimen to reach and maintain that weight. Most of the methods for improving insulin resistance, like following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, will also help you lose weight at the same time.
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Exercise is proven to improve insulin sensitivity. Try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise like running or biking every day, or at least 5 days out of the week. Aerobic exercise is best but some light resistance or weight training is also effective for boosting your metabolism.
Reduce your stress to improve your condition. High stress is linked to poor insulin sensitivity. If you often feel stressed, try doing some relaxation exercises like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to improve your anxiety. If you have trouble controlling your stress, then consider speaking to a professional therapist to learn more stress-reduction techniques.
Sleep for 7-8 hours each night. Regular sleep helps your body operate better and could improve your insulin sensitivity. Do your best to get a full sleep every night so your body can recharge itself. If you suffer from insomnia, try doing quiet, relaxing activities for an hour before bed like reading, listening to calm music, or taking a bath. Try not to look at your phone or computer, since the screen light can stimulate your brain
Hypoglycemic Herbs
Take fish oil supplements to boost your omega-3s. If you don’t get enough omega-3 fatty acids from your diet, then daily fish oil supplements can boost your intake.
Use ginseng to regulate your blood sugar levels. Studies suggest that ginseng is an effective treatment for diabetes and insulin resistance because it can help control your blood sugar. Try taking a daily supplement to see if it improves your symptoms. The strength of ginseng depends on where it was produced, so follow the dosage instructions on the product you use or ask your doctor for guidance.
Eat bitter melon to lower your blood glucose. Lowering your blood sugar can help improve insulin resistance. Either eat bitter melon plain or take supplements with the nutrient extracted.
Take jiangtang keli to improve your insulin sensitivity. This herb is commonly used in China and other Asian countries to manage insulin resistance. It may help you as well.
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