{"id":12851,"date":"2019-01-30T01:00:59","date_gmt":"2019-01-29T21:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rachaelattard.com\/?p=12851"},"modified":"2019-04-04T15:38:42","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T11:38:42","slug":"insulin-resistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rachaelattard.com\/insulin-resistance\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Insulin Resistance And How It Can Affect Your Weight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019ve had my own <\/span>issues with hormones<\/span><\/a>. I was eating right, exercising regularly, but no matter what, I couldn\u2019t lose weight. I was even gaining weight and looking puffier.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was doing everything right, but something just wasn\u2019t clicking with my body. The weight just stayed put. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I started doing research on my own. A lot of it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I focused on learning more about leptin (the \u201cstarvation hormone\u201d) and insulin and what happens when your body becomes resistant to them. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I needed to discover what could cause my body to <\/span>stop losing weight<\/span><\/a> when I was working my butt off to lose it. What I discovered completely changed my approach to weight loss. And I now realise just how important hormones are in maintaining and healthy body and a healthy weight.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what I learned about insulin resistance and weight gain, how it can affect your body, and what you can do to reverse it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"insulin<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

WHAT IS INSULIN RESISTANCE, ANYWAY? <\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we dive into what insulin resistance is, you first need to understand what insulin does. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insulin is a hormone responsible for <\/span>regulating your body\u2019s blood sugar levels<\/span><\/a>. Insulin moves sugar into your fat cells to protect your body from high blood sugar levels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insulin is a hormone that is produced in your pancreas. The pancreas releases insulin every time you eat. But, insulin secretion is the highest when you eat food that is full of sugar. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re constantly eating a high amount of sugar, insulin levels will remain high, and your body will eventually become resistant to insulin.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your body stops responding to insulin and your body cannot burn fat for fuel<\/span>. Instead, it causes you to store more and more fat, causing you to gain weight.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"insulin<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE <\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everyone\u2019s body is different and the way excess insulin impacts you may be different to how it affects your friends. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are some common signs and symptoms that suggest you might have an insulin resistance problem. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY <\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most obvious and common sign that you have insulin resistance is the inability to lose weight. No matter what you try, you can\u2019t seem to shake those extra pounds. And the weight will mostly be concentrated around your belly.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a healthy diet and regular <\/span>exercise routine<\/span><\/a> is not doing the trick, it\u2019s best to see your doctor or naturopath. They\u2019ll be able to test your insulin levels to see if this is the problem. They’ll also be able to see if you’re leptin resistance – the two often go hand in hand.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"insulin<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re healthy and everything is working right, your blood pressure should be <\/span>around 120\/80<\/span><\/a>. This means your heart is delivering the right amount of pressure to your blood vessels. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your blood pressure is higher than 120, it means those blood vessels are under a lot of pressure. They\u2019re not built for this and high blood pressure can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and even stroke. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insulin resistance creates a sodium imbalance in your bloodstream. This leads to an increase in the volume of blood rushing through your veins. The larger the blood volume is, the more pressure gets put on your blood vessels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have your blood pressure checked and if it\u2019s higher than normal, ask your doctor to check your insulin levels.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OTHER SYMPTOMS <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Other symptoms to watch out for include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n