We know what insulin resistance is. We know how it occurs, typically through poor lifestyle choices. But what we don’t know is how to reverse it. The good news is that it is quite possible. Sometimes drug interventions are needed, but for most, a diet and exercise regimen is enough to reverse the process. The key is eating in a way that balances your blood sugar. By doing this you will reduce inflammation and oxidative stress which will improve your liver’s ability to detoxify, and this is the key to preventing and reversing insulin resistance.

You will need to eat a diet that is based on “whole foods”, meaning stay out of the aisles and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store. The foods you should be eating are high in fibre, preferably rich in colourful fruits and vegetables, and very low in sugars. You should minimize flour. Include plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, olive oil, beans, nuts, seeds, cold water fish and lean cuts of meats. All of these foods help prevent and reverse diabetes and insulin resistance. This way of eating turns on all the right gene messages, promotes a healthy metabolism, and prevents premature aging and age-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Here is a list of five behaviours to follow that will immediately improve insulin sensitivity and reverse resistance:

1. Eat protein every day for breakfast. Eggs, meat, nuts and seeds. Protein is brain food and what you put in your body first thing in the morning will set up your hormones and neurotransmitters for the rest of the day.
2. Eat small protein snacks in the morning and afternoon, such as a handful of almonds or a piece of cheese. You should eat something every 3 hours to keep your blood sugar and glucose levels normalized throughout the day.
3. Stop eating high glycemic carbohydrates, as they raise blood sugar levels sky high. Anything over a 50 glycemic index is off limits. The best rule of thumb is to avoid eating anything white. The more colour in your foods, the better. Think thin skinned berries and dark leafy green vegetables.
4. Eat high-quality protein, especially fatty, cold-water fish like salmon, halibut, herring, sardines and all types of shellfish. Cold-water fish, such as salmon and halibut, contain an abundance of beneficial essential fatty acids that reduce inflammation. Always buy wild. Avoid any packaging that says farmed. If you are not sure, ask the person working behind the counter.
5. Exercise is critical to improvement of insulin sensitivity. It helps reduce body fat, and central body fat (midsection), the most dangerous kind. Regular exercise will help prevent diabetes, reduce your risk of complications, and even help reverse it. Ideally you should perform 30 to 45 minutes of walking every day. Walking after dinner is a great way to reduce your blood sugar. As your fitness improves, more vigorous exercise is needed to reverse severe insulin resistance or diabetes. You should work at 70 to 85 percent of your target heart rate, which you can find by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying that number by 0.70 to 0.85. This could be accomplished by performing 3 to 5 weight training sessions per week. Think compound multi-joint movements (squats, dead lifts, pressing and rowing variations) that work the entire body. These exercises elevate your heart rate to max levels.