Glucose, your body's primary energy source, is dependent on the hormone insulin, according to Family Doctor.org. Insulin resistance occurs when your body can't respond to insulin and causes unhealthy changes in your glucose levels. The condition produces a feeling of weakness due to a lack of energy and puts your health at risk. The Insulin Resistance Diet claims to help you balance your glucose levels through the pairing of foods. Notify your doctor before starting any weight-loss plan.
Significance
Insulin resistance prevents the cells in your liver, fat and muscles from working properly and is often accompanied by high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. The unhealthy combination is called metabolic syndrome and raises your risk for heart disease, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Cheryle Hart, a bariatric physician, and Mary Kay Grossman, a registered dietitian, created the Insulin Resistance Diet as a lifestyle plan intended to help prevent your body from producing unsafe glucose, or blood sugar levels, through the combination of moderate amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Function
Carbohydrate consumption is key to the Insulin Resistance Diet because your body converts carbohydrates from foods like bagels or fruit into glucose for energy and helps prevents feelings of sluggishness or weakness. Your body stores excess glucose as fat, which results in weight gain. Insulin resistance causes your body to store fat at a faster rate than normal. The diet's creators claim linking carbohydrate-rich foods with other foods as part of a series of lifestyle changes, including advance meal planning, results in the production of less insulin and eventual weight loss. The diet does not promise immediate or rapid weight loss.
Time Frame
The Insulin Resistance Diet encourages you to adopt permanent lifestyle changes and is not limited to a period of weeks or months. Users of the diet snack every two to three hours to lower the chance of extreme increases or dips in glucose levels. Carve out time for activity, as the diet endorses regular exercise as a complement to healthy eating. The Cleveland Clinic recommends aerobic exercise like brisk walking for at least 30 minutes three to five times weekly as an ideal way to control your diabetes.
Warning
The Insulin Resistance Diet emphasizes portion control and the consumption of healthy foods. Although users are allowed to eat any type of food --- including desserts --- this can hinder your fitness goals and well-being when consumed on a regular basis, especially if you have diabetes. MayoClinic.com reports that fruits and vegetables are key to any healthy weight-loss diet. Use fish or lean cuts of white meat as a substitute for red meat when possible and limit your intake of saturated fat, sodium and foods like potato chips with trans fats. Avoid the Insulin Resistance Diet if you have wheat, gluten or dairy allergies.
Expert Insight
Notify your doctor before starting the Insulin Resistance Diet. Your doctor can help you weigh the benefits and risks, as well as determine how much weight you may need to lose by measuring your body mass index, or BMI, according to Family Doctor.org. The index measures your body weight relative to your height.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Metabolic Syndrome: Prevention
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Insulin Resistance and Pre-Diabetes
- IR Diet.com: The Insulin-Resistance Diet
- Family Doctor.org: Metabolic Syndrome
- Diets in Review.com: Insulin Resistance Diet
- Cleveland Clinic: Metabolic Syndrome
