Blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance affects a huge population of people. It’s been estimated that in the US alone about 25% of the population has insulin resistance. It’s also been determined that this defect leads to among others, damage to the lining of blood vessels which puts an individual at risk for heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that insulin resistance and blood sugar deregulation is actually occurring sub-clinically until it’s already becoming a chronic problem.

One way to find out if you are predisposed to insulin resistance or blood sugar regulatory issues is to get genetic testing. Mutation to specific genes can give you this information and but also give you the opportunity to engage in epigenetic changing behaviours that can turn off or alter this gene expression. The experts in epigenetics beiieve that by knowing the genes that are impacted you can reverse this debilitating disease. Lifestyle changes that involve a healthy diet, high intensity or interval-based exercise, restorative sleep and stress management are powerful and effective.

One of the most effective ways to shut off or down regulate the harmful genes is stress management and reduction. Elevated stress increases cortisol which elevates blood sugar and insulin and leads to insulin resistance. Activating the parasympathetic system can help to shift the body into a healthier mode that supports lower inflammation and lead to improved insulin and blood sugar management.

Testing empowers an individual with information about their gene profile. Early detection leads to a more proactive and potentially life saving approach. What you don’t know can hurt you! By having a baseline you can test and monitor your blood sugar and insulin levels and know you are moving in the right direction.

The 5 Keys To Reversing Insulin Resistance and Diabetes:

1. Get your stress levels down by lowering your cortisol levels.

2. Restorative sleep can aid in reversing insulin resistance over time. Studies show that sleep deprivation can lead to insulin resistance and blood sugar disregulation. This can lead to obesity, heart disease, stroke, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, sleep deprivation reduces the hormone leptin ( signaling satiety) and elevates ghrelin ( increases appetite) which leads to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.

3. Fitness – high intensity or interval training elevates growth hormone which helps to lower insulin.

4. Food timing – it’s better to eat every 4-6 hours then every 2 hours. Eating this way optimizes leptin and aids in fat burning. Additionally, intermittent fasting ( eating during a specific time frame) has proven to help with blood sugar stabilization.

5. Genetics – we now know what genes are involved with insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation. It’s imperative to get insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation under control in order to prevent the onset of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. If any of the following gene mutations show up in testing they can and should be addressed.

– MTHFR gene mutation can lead to elevated homocysteine ( a toxic amino acid) which damages insulin receptors. The receptors can not hear the signal to take sugar out of the blood which leads to elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance.

– MTTR mutation affects B12 methylation. This gene provides instructions for making and important enzyme methionine synthase which plays a role in processing amino acids.

– IGF1R mutation blocks insulin from entering cells because the receptors are not genetically optimized. This gene helps build resistance to and managing oxidative stress.

Testing For Insulin Resistance

–  Positive if fasting blood sugar > 100

– If blood sugar > 120 it’s likey you have peripheral nerve damage.

– If between 120-140 vulnerable to retinal damage.

A1C – above 5.7 pre diabetic. Should be tested about every 4-6 months.

Bottom Line – genetic testing tells you what could happen in the future even if you are asymptomatic now. Genes and gene mutations are very telling and enable you to be proactive and slow down or reverse many chronic degenerative diseases. The great news is that genetic testing is critical information into your inner ecosystem. Epigentic factors like diet, sleep, stress and physical activity can have powerful effects on our genes. Information is empowering.