Insulin resistance is associated with autoimmune disorders, like PCOS, prediabetes, and Type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance can be a tough diagnosis to handle, but the good news is that it can be reversed, and symptoms can be minimized with changes to your daily diet. A healthy diet can help you lose weight, but more importantly, it can help your body better process protein, sugars, and other nutrients. Let’s dive deeper into what this diet entails and how it can help your overall physical health.
What Is An Insulin Resistance Diet?
A healthy diet for someone who is insulin-resistant should be high in natural foods and lower in processed or sugary foods. Foods that instantly spike your blood sugar will worsen your insulin resistance and make it harder to process other nutrients. The goal should be to eat foods that require less insulin to process inside the body, giving the body a chance to take on other nutrients and do what it needs to do.
Other diets that exist on the market that can work for insulin resistance are the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet. Focusing on whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein is the ideal setup for insulin resistance.
Prioritize Lean Protein
One of the most important parts of an insulin resistance diet is prioritizing protein. Plant-based proteins or leaner proteins will help improve blood glucose levels by slowing down your digestion. Poultry, low-fat beef, or plant-based options like tofu are all great for insulin resistance.
Prioritizing protein first thing in the morning and before intense workouts can help prevent blood sugar spikes that cause fatique or weight fluctuations. Look for options that have protein, but also low sugar and carbs.
Whole-Grain Foods
Instead of refined or simple carbohydrates, you should be prioritizing complex carbohydrates, as they take longer to break down. Allowing your body to take the time to break down these carbs will lower the overproduction of insulin. Oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat bread or bagels are great whole-grain options to incorporate into your meals.
Leafy Greens And Fruits
Having a well-rounded diet is also important for insulin resistance, so including colorful foods at each meal will help to stabilize blood sugar. Non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, and asparagus are high in fiber and can help you slow your digestion, helping you feel fuller for longer. Fruits that are also high in fiber and lower on the glycemic index will be good for your blood sugar. High fiber fruits include apples, pears, grapefruit, and berries.
Foods To Avoid
Certain foods can load your bloodstream with glucose, which can worsen your insulin resistance and make it hard to process different foods later. Removing some of these foods from your diet can help you limit bloat, get better quality sleep, and lower cravings. While you don’t have to get rid of everything with sugar or your favorite fast food, limiting them or choosing lower-calorie options can be helpful.
Ultra-processed foods have high amounts of fat and sodium, which can worsen your symptoms of insulin resistance. Fast food or prepackaged foods are best to avoid if you have insulin resistance, but you can enjoy these every once in a while. Learning about the ingredients or calories in your fast food can help you make better choices when you do go out to eat. Try including more protein and adding fruit or vegetables instead of carbs for a side.
Other things to limit or remove from your diet include:
- Sugary foods or snacks
- Saturated fats
- Soda or sugary cocktails
- Alcohol
- Refined carbohydrates
Insulin Resistance Insight From Regeneration Health
Regeneration Health understands the complexities of food sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, and gut issues. Our team can help you pinpoint what symptoms are affecting you the most and how to combat them with diet or functional medicine. Those who experience fatigue, indigestion, bloating, or food sensitivities can find support from our medical professionals.
We want to get to the root cause of your issues rather than just putting a band-aid on your symptoms. We create personalized treatments for each person to help them achieve a better balance in their life. Our team is dedicated to providing relief through science-based methods. Functional medicine can help you get to the root cause of your debilitating symptoms and build better physical performance for the long term. Schedule a consultation with us to see if we are the right fit for you.