Insulin sensitivity VS Insulin resistance
Insulin sensitivity is a measurement of your body’s response to the hormone insulin. It is essential for sustaining good health and lifespan since it regulates blood sugar levels and metabolism. When your body is insulin sensitive, it can use insulin to properly manage blood sugar and store energy as glycogen in your muscles and liver. This aids in the prevention of excessive blood sugar levels, which can result in a variety of major health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Contrarily, an insulin-resistant body is less receptive to the effects of insulin, which can result in elevated blood sugar levels and a variety of health issues. Particularly among those who are overweight or obese, have sedentary lifestyles, or have a family history of diabetes, insulin resistance is a prevalent issue.
Regular physical exercise and a nutritious diet are two ways to maintain ideal blood sugar levels and enhance insulin sensitivity. Exercise increases your muscles’ sensitivity to insulin, which can reduce blood sugar levels and enhance general health. Improved insulin sensitivity can also be attained by a balanced diet that is high in whole, unprocessed foods and low in harmful fats and added sweets.
Diabetes and beyond: glucose management
By continually monitoring your blood sugar levels throughout the day and night, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a gadget that can assist you in maintaining a high degree of insulin sensitivity. People with diabetes or those who are at risk for acquiring the disease may find this to be especially beneficial since it enables them to make real-time dietary and pharmaceutical changes to control their blood sugar levels.
A CGM is made up of a tiny sensor that is placed under the skin and a monitor that shows blood sugar levels. Every few minutes, the sensor sends measurements to the display device and detects the quantity of glucose in your interstitial fluid (the fluid surrounding your cells). Alternatively to being built into an insulin pump, the display device might be a standalone gadget like a wrist watch or smartphone.
Adios Diabetes: CGM to the rescue
You may use a CGM, such as FreeStyleLibre from Abbott, to spot trends in your blood sugar levels and alter your lifestyle to increase insulin sensitivity. For instance, you can change your diet to lessen the effect of specific foods on your blood sugar if you discover that your blood sugar levels are frequently high after eating them. Similar to this, you can change the dosage of your medicine or insulin if you observe that your blood sugar levels are regularly low at particular times of the day in order to keep them within a safe range.
Overall, insulin sensitivity is a crucial aspect in achieving and sustaining good health. Following a healthy lifestyle and wearing a CGM can help to increase insulin sensitivity and keep blood sugar levels in check, lowering your chance of developing significant health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
I know that you migth not be diabetic, but you can still get benefits of CGM since glucose and insulin are two molecules that trigger a lot of human physologic processes. Always remember to talk with your practicioner in order to analyse your data and get a proper therapy with it. Take a look at our genetic and metabolic optimization approach and reach out in case of any doubts.
