Who is at risk for Insulin Resistance?
Roughly 1 in 3 Americans have IR whether they know it or not. IR is a condition in which the cells no longer see or recognize Insulin. This causes the blood sugar levels to increase because the cells don’t receive the signal to let the sugar in. Here are the people that tend to be most affected by this:
- Those with a large waist line: if you are a woman and your waist measures more than 35 inches, or a man and it’s more than 40, you risk of IR and metabolic syndrome is increased.
- Those with Dark Patches of Skin – typically on the cheeks, forehead, back of neck, elbows, knees, armpits, or any other folds in the body are already affected by IR. The dark patches, called Acanthosis Nigricans, are visible skin changes caused by insulin resistance. You may not have already developed another condition, but your IR is definitely real.
- If you have other signs of Metabolic Syndrome (including larger waist), you likely have IR as well. If you have 3 or more of the following, you likely have Metabolic Syndrome:
- Low HDLs – these are the “good cholesterol”. Your levels should be above 40 at a MINIMUM.
- High Blood Pressure – Readings at or above 130/85.
- High Triglycerides – Levels at 150 or higher
- High RANDOM Blood Sugar – Random blood sugar Levels of 100-125 mg/dl or higher.
- High FASTING Blood Sugar – Even if they are mildly high while fasting.
If you find that you have any combination of these conditions, then you should talk to your doctor about evaluating you for Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, AND Diabetes.
What Can You Do?
Since having IR and Metabolic Syndrome both increase the chances of having other conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, PCOS, Heart Attacks, Strokes, Cancer, and other conditions, you want to make sure you know your status and treat it accordingly.
If you know that you have one or more of these conditions and you’d like to approach it holistically, let’s chat. CLICK HERE to connect and we can see how I might be able to support you on your journey to health.
Does this resonate with you? Do you have any questions? Let me know!