Pre-diabetes is an ominous precursor for type-2 diabetes. Many people are unaware that they are pre-diabetic, and a staggering 1 in 3 people don’t know they have type-2 diabetes. Insulin resistance drives pre-diabetes which usually occurs many years before obvious blood sugar problems arise. If you recognise some of these top 5 pre-diabetic warning signs, now is the time to take action so that you can reverse your risk of diabetes.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin is essential for controlling healthy blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance occurs when your cells block or resist insulin signals to transport glucose into your cells. This triggers more and more insulin to be produced in an effort to make your cells more receptive or sensitive to insulin signals. Think of insulin resistance like this: insulin knocks on your cell door but the cell can’t hear it, so more and more insulin is produced so the knock is much louder. Finally, your cell hears the knock and opens the cell ‘door’ so that glucose can be transported from your bloodstream into the cell where it can be used for energy. This explains why your fasting blood sugar levels may seem ‘normal’ for many years and your fasting insulin levels can be very high.

Top 5 warning signs of pre-diabetes include:

1. Being *overweight (particularly around your tummy) with great difficulty losing weight, despite strenuous efforts
2. Skin tags or darkened/thick areas of skin in folds or creases ie: arm pits, neck, groin
3. *Elevated cholesterol levels featuring high ‘bad’ cholesterol and low ‘good’ cholesterol
4. *High blood pressure
5. Reproductive issues in women or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

*The combination of these three warning signs is often referred to as metabolic syndrome or syndrome X.

Reversing insulin resistance naturally with nutrients and herbs

Timely interventions can help you reverse pre-diabetes through dietary and lifestyle changes that include reducing stress and increasing physical exercise, and with specific nutrients and herbs.

• Magnesium and insulin work hand in hand for healthy insulin signalling and glucose use. A magnesium deficiency strengthens insulin resistance.
• Chromium is essential for regulating and enhancing insulin sensitivity, particularly in people who may be overweight.
• Gymnema helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels by normalising insulin levels and suppresses cravings for sugary foods.
• Cinnamon enhances the action of insulin by stimulating insulin receptors and inhibiting enzymes that can deactivate them.
• Fenugreek increases insulin sensitivity and enhances the use of glucose.
• Resveratrol significantly decreases insulin resistance in people with blood sugar dysfunction and mimics ‘calorie restriction’ for those who are overweight.

Mr Vitamins recommends

Herbs of Gold Products to assist Insulin Resistance

Find out more and shop online for these Herbs of Gold products below

• GlucoPlex
• Magnesium Citrate OR
• Magnesium Forte OR
• Muscle Resuscitation
• Resveratrol AdvantAGE

Come in and 'ask a Naturopath' for advice on appropriate nutritional or herbal supplements to reduce your risk of pre-diabetes and insulin resistance.