Insulin Resistance and Inflammation

How well we balance our blood sugar levels plays a large role in our level of inflammation.

Our bodies always want balance so when our blood sugar levels are elevated our bodies have systems in place to maintain the right levels. Many people have ups and downs in the blood sugar levels all day and the early signs of insulin resistance without even realizing it!

The main diet culprits to increased blood sugars are:

simple or refined carbs (white bread, biscuits, cookies, most breakfast cereals) that break down into sugar
and of course sugar- candy, chocolate, white sugar in beverages, etc.

When you eat these things your blood sugar increase and then insulin, a hormone produced in your pancreas, is released. Insulin travels around looking for areas in the body that need sugar. Once the sugars have been used as fuel OR stored as fat, blood sugar levels fall back to normal.

If blood sugar levels go too high, too often, your cells start getting tired and stop responding to insulin well. So the sugars can't get into the cells and starts hanging out in blood. This is called insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is a major cause of chronic inflammation and once that inflammatory path is set into motion it can wreak havoc on every system in the body, including hormones! Chronic inflammation may be a key factor in reproductive dysfunction and can make condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis and PMS worse.

Chronic inflammation can also inhibit several genes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism, which can result in altered thyroid hormone production. On bloodwork this may look like decrease T4 and T3 and increased reverse T3, which can lead to an underactive thyroid.

Balancing blood sugar levels is not only crucial for reducing inflammation, it gives you consistent energy, good sleep, and better focus and mental clarity.

Let's not ride the crazy waves of this rollercoaster!

change your refined carbs to complex carbs like squash and sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa
protein with every meal - chicken, fish, beans like chickpeas and lentils, eggs
fat and fiber slow down digestion which then stabilizes blood sugar levels
apple cider vinegar before a meal can improve insulin sensitivity by 34%

By managing our blood sugar levels, we can manage inflammation! If you need more help identifying if you have insulin resistance or need guidance on how to balance your sugars book today!

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