Diet in insulin resistance

The term "insulin resistance" refers to a condition in which the body is unable to respond to insulin produced by the pancreas. In most cases, the development of such a condition is associated with nutritional disorders: the main amount of energy the body "draws" from carbohydrates, which independently can not get into the cells. The conductor for this becomes insulin, but with excessive ingestion of carbohydrates, too much insulin is produced, which provokes the appearance of insulin resistance. How to correct the situation? The most effective way is a change in lifestyle and a special diet for insulin resistance, involving the exclusion of simple sugars, saturated fats and foods with a high glycemic index. [1]

Indications

Insulin resistance is spoken of as a condition where cells become resistant to insulin, and the process of glucose uptake and assimilation is disrupted.

Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the β-cells of the pancreas as a response to the consumption of sugar. This hormone has a direct effect on the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The main "job" of insulin is to stabilize blood glucose levels.

Interestingly, insulin production in the body occurs all the time - but only in the minimal amount needed to support basic energy processes. When food or drinks are consumed, glucose enters the bloodstream, insulin production increases dramatically and glucose enters the cell. If a person consumes too much sugar (simple carbohydrates), the glucose and insulin levels in the bloodstream increase, the cells block the receptor mechanism because they become oversaturated with glucose.

With the development of insulin resistance, the proteins that transport glucose "freeze", as a result of which its entry into the cell stops, and it is deposited as fat "in reserve".

Signs of insulin resistance, in which the specialist can recommend compliance with a special diet:

• The so-called "abdominal" type of obesity (fat deposition mainly in the waist area, in both women and men);
• dark acanthosis - skin darkening in areas with natural folds (groin, armpits, etc.), which is associated with a simultaneous increase in melanin production;
• increased craving for sweets, inability to endure long breaks without eating, lack of a feeling of satiety after eating.

Possible blood test values for prescribing a diet for insulin resistance:

• high blood sugar (on an empty stomach);
• High insulin levels (on an empty stomach);
• high levels of cholesterol, purine metabolism products.

A specific determination of insulin resistance is also performed by measuring the index of the ratio of insulin to glucose in the blood - the so-called HOMA index. The norm of this index should not exceed 2.7. [2]

Insulin resistance diet for weight loss

Overweight is not only an unpleasant appearance, but also the cause of many serious diseases. People who lead a passive lifestyle, often overeating, consuming large amounts of carbohydrates are prone to gaining extra pounds. These same people have an increased tendency to develop insulin resistance, so it is very important for them to take timely measures to prevent the emergence of complications - in particular, such as diabetes mellitus.

Normalization of body weight is not an easy process, it requires self-discipline and patience. Diet in insulin resistance in this situation will be very helpful. It is important to follow certain dietary recommendations and choose food with low calorie and low glycemic index.

What is this indicator? It is the rate at which the blood sugar level rises after consuming a particular food. The higher it is, the more undesirable the presence of this food in the diet of a person with insulin resistance or obesity.

A low glycemic index diet for insulin resistance involves following the following rules:

• three meals a day, avoid snacks (in between you can drink water, tea, coffee - without sugar);
• Exclusion of simple carbohydrates (some fruits and berries are allowed in doses);
• Drinking plenty of plain, clean water without gas or sweeteners;
• Adequate and daily consumption of vegetables and greens;
• Replacing animal fats with vegetable oils;
• Consumption of foods with omega-3 fatty acids;
• consuming dairy products only in the morning and afternoon hours.

In addition to diet, for weight loss on the background of insulin resistance, it is important to expand the degree of physical activity, walk more. In addition, you should visit an endocrinologist and keep control over the blood condition, regularly take tests. [3]

Foods such as granola, baked goods (including pancakes and pizza), French fries and mashed potatoes, pasta made of fine flour, and honey have a higher glycemic index. Durum wheat pasta is average, as well as pineapples, ripe bananas. Carrots and cabbage, beans - beans and lentils, greens and zucchini, mushrooms, avocados, tomatoes and cucumbers are especially recommended for consumption (low GI).

Diet in insulin resistance and CKD

PCOS - polycystic ovarian syndrome - is a disorder caused by hormonal and metabolic problems in the body. Most experts are of the opinion that following a diet for patients with insulin resistance is also relevant for women suffering from PCOS.

The main goals of such a diet are to control one's own weight and reduce insulin resistance, because hormonal activity, including insulin, is of great importance in the development of PCOS. According to statistics, many women are diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance at the same time.

This diet suggests:

• eating low-GI foods (cereals, seeds, nuts, vegetables, greens, etc.);
• Use of predominantly vegetable oils, berries, fish, leafy vegetables in the diet;
• drastic restriction or elimination of dishes with increased presence of saturated fats and sugars.

The diet for insulin resistance and SPKJ includes eating:

• natural, unprocessed or minimally processed foods;
• foods with sufficient fiber in them;
• marine fish, including tuna, salmon, mackerel;
• leafy and green vegetables;
• dark fruit;
• any kind of cabbage;
• legumes;
• vegetable oils, nuts, avocados.

On the background of compliance with such changes in nutrition, patients note the improvement of insulin metabolism, lower cholesterol, improved quality of life and normalization of the menstrual cycle.

However, it is important to understand that diet alone may not be sufficient to fully stabilize ovarian function. Additional therapy may be required if a woman has excessive body hair growth, acne and excessive skin oiliness, discomfort or abnormalities of the pelvic organs, problems with conception. In such cases, it is absolutely necessary to seek the help of specialists for the necessary examinations and treatment.

General information Diet in insulin resistance

Humans get the bulk of their energy from carbohydrate foods - in particular, glucose, fructose, lactose, xylose, ribose, and galactose are the most rapidly digested by the body. When large amounts of simple sugars are consumed at the same time, there is a massive release of insulin by the pancreas, allowing glucose to enter the cell - to provide it with energy and nutritional potential. If carbohydrates are consumed in large quantities, they accumulate in fatty tissue and the liver. [4]

Insulin can be called the hormone responsible for body fat stores, as it activates the entry of glucose into adipocytes, participates in the production of triglycerides and fatty acids, inhibits the processes of fat breakdown.

Insulin activity can be reduced by following a special diet. In insulin resistance, it is desirable to avoid frequent snacking so that the hormone level is not constantly high. The recommended number of meals is three times a day, with a gap of about four hours between them.

In addition, it is important to consider the glycemic index of the foods consumed. This indicator shows the degree of increase in blood glucose levels after eating a particular food.

Carbohydrates with a higher GI (70 or more) are better and faster digested, thus requiring more insulin production. Such foods should be definitely excluded from the diet of a patient with insulin resistance. These are any dishes with sugar and honey, baked goods, sweet sodas, French fries and chips.

Important: when formulating your diet, consider not only the GI value, but also the total amount of carbohydrates consumed. [5]

Balanced nutrition in insulin resistance should be combined with other therapeutic factors:

• physical activity;
• by not smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages;
• healthy sleep;
• stress tolerance training;
• intermittent fasting;
• Taking medications and supplements recommended by your doctor.

The main levers affecting glucose tolerance processes are genetic factors, exercise and nutrition.

Low-carbohydrate diet for insulin resistance

As with all diets, there are certain rules recommended for the low-carbohydrate diet. Only by following them can you achieve visible results. These are the following recommendations:

• Do not exceed the daily allowance of carbohydrates, monitor their quality;
• clearly distinguish between the list of allowed and forbidden foods;
• eat regularly, avoid snacking;
• Drink enough plain water throughout the day to ensure adequate water and salt metabolism;
• additionally take multivitamin, mineral complex preparations recommended by a doctor;
• If there is a need for a snack, low-carbohydrate foods (egg, carrot, green apple, piece of cheese) should be favored;
• After about three weeks, it is advisable to visit a doctor to evaluate the effectiveness of the diet, if necessary, to make additional dietary adjustments.

Low-carbohydrate diet options that can be used for insulin resistance:

• Classic low-carbohydrate diet - involves cutting the presence of carbohydrates and adding protein. The basis of the diet is meat, fish, nuts, vegetables and eggs.
• The ketogenic diet is high-protein, and carbohydrate intake is minimized as much as possible (down to 5-30g per day).
• Low-carbohydrate-high-fat diet includes the consumption of a large amount of fats against the background of a sharply reduced intake of carbohydrates. All foods are consumed without any or minimal cooking.
• The Atkins diet allows the addition of meat and fish, eggs, vegetable salads with greens, nuts to the menu. Fruits are included in the list of undesirable ingredients. Nutrition is built in stages and passes the stages of beginning and preparation, weight reduction and its stabilization, as well as the stage of retention of the obtained result.
• The Mediterranean diet provides for the consumption of fish dishes and seafood, vegetables and greens. The use of meat, as well as carbohydrate foods, is minimized, but the presence of pasta from durum wheat is allowed in the menu. [6]

Carbohydrate-free diet for insulin resistance

A carbohydrate-free diet is one of the most extreme types of diet. Specialists do not consider it safe, because any carbohydrates are practically excluded from the menu, including those contained in fruits and many vegetables. If we take into account that the main food contains a triad of macronutrients - proteins, fats and carbohydrates, it is very difficult and practically impossible to completely exclude one of them in terms of health safety.

People who follow a carbohydrate-free diet build their diet from dishes containing mostly protein and fats. Most often these are meat, eggs, fish, seeds and nuts, and avocados. This style has much in common with the well-known keto diet, which assumes the main intake of energy and calories from fats. However, the keto variant, according to nutritionists, is less strict.

The elimination of carbohydrate component contributes to the normalization of the insulin apparatus and stabilization of body weight. Increasing the share of proteins and fats gives a quick and lasting feeling of satiety, a person stops overeating and "snapping" on forbidden food.

The effect of this nutritional restructuring becomes noticeable after a few weeks. Patients suffering from edema improve significantly, because it is known that one gram of carbohydrates retains up to 3 grams of water in the tissues. Due to the reduction of triglyceride levels in the blood, which accompanies the reduction of carbohydrate intake, the risk of cardiovascular disease is minimized. Specialists also report that people prone to hypertension have stabilization of blood pressure. [7]

Keto diet for insulin resistance

Keto is the unofficial name for the ketogenic diet, an eating system with an underestimated presence of carbohydrate and a high percentage of fat. The approximate classic ratio of macronutrients is up to 80% fat, 10-20% protein and up to 5-10% carbohydrates. The effect of this approach is normalization of body weight, sufficient energy boost, and improvement of the endocrine system.

The concept of improving body condition with keto diet is based on the low intake of sugars, which are necessary for the processes of fat oxidation and energy supply of the central nervous system. In conditions of carbohydrate deficiency there is an initial energy hunger, as a result of which the brain starts searching for alternative sources of energy. As a result, ketone bodies produced by the liver from dietary fat and available fatty tissue become such a source. [8]

Ketone bodies in a certain amount are present in the blood and with a normal carbohydrate diet. However, their content increases significantly during fasting, in diabetes mellitus or against the background of cutting back on carbohydrates. In ketogenic nutrition, the overwhelming amount of energy for brain activity comes from ketones. It turns out that already on the 5th-6th day the body enters the state of ketosis.

Experts point out that ketones are a more desirable fuel for any living organism because they virtually eliminate the development of insulin resistance and latent diabetes. Ketone bodies provide more heat and less "waste", comparatively to the processing of sugars. And they are formed from fat stores, including visceral fat, but for this to happen, a state of ketosis must be formed. [9]

Mediterranean diet in insulin resistance

The Mediterranean diet is practiced in the Mediterranean regions: Italy, Greece, Spain, and the south of France. This diet includes moderation in food and a variety of products - mainly seafood and vegetable components. Adherents of the Mediterranean menu emphasize whole-grain products, unlimited vegetables and fruits, vegetable oils, legumes and oilseeds. Animal proteins are represented by fish, seafood, goat and sheep milk and cheeses.

Studies have proven that such a diet promotes:

• improved brain activity;
• preventing the development of type 2 diabetes;
• elimination of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance;
• preventing cardiovascular disease.

Insulin resistance develops with age and is always associated with nutritional deficiencies. The Mediterranean diet can lower blood glucose levels and improve all key health markers.

According to research, this type of diet lowers the risk of developing diabetes by an average of 25-35%, which is higher than even those people who follow just a low-calorie diet. [10]

Paleo diet for insulin resistance

Paleo, or the so-called Neanderthal diet involves the consumption of food typical of representatives of ancient civilizations. In Paleolithic times, the population was mainly engaged in gathering, fishing, hunting. Therefore, the diet consisted mainly of fish and meat, berries and greens, eggs and mushrooms, fruits and vegetables - that is, exclusively natural products, without any industrial processing. Cereals (which began to be grown much later), dairy products and potatoes were excluded from the menu.

Meals - three times a day and not more often, because predominantly protein food requires long digestion - at least 5-6 hours. Among additional conditions:

• adequate sleep (8-9 hours);
• going to bed on time (no later than 22:00);
• sufficient and daily physical activity;
• systematic consumption of regular drinking water without gas.

The list of allowed foods in the paleo diet is very similar to the one offered in the protein diet. The balance of macronutrients is as follows: proteins 40-50%, fats - about 25-35%, carbohydrates - no more than 15%. There are no calorie restrictions.

Patients with insulin resistance may well practice this type of diet: metabolic processes and endocrine mechanisms will gradually improve - primarily due to the refusal of sweets and baked goods, reducing the proportion of carbohydrates, normalization of dietary patterns. However, not all people will be able to follow such a variant for a long time: paleodiet requires special willpower and patience.

Buckwheat diet for insulin resistance

Buckwheat porridge refers to dietary dishes, but the diet on it is quite strict and can not be used for a long time, which for people with insulin resistance is not very suitable. In general, there are several variants of diet on buckwheat:

Short mono-diets, or so-called unloading days (exclusively buckwheat, buckwheat + kefir, buckwheat + dried fruit, etc.);

• buckwheat table for 1 week;
• buckwheat table for two weeks.

Short mono-diets have virtually no effect on insulin resistance, neither improving nor worsening the patient's condition. Longer diets can be used by people with insulin resistance, but they should not be used for too long.

Given the rich combination of useful components in buckwheat groats, its consumption has antioxidant, anticholesterol, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, stabilizing effect.

When choosing groats for cooking, you should take into account that the calorie content of green buckwheat is slightly higher than that of brown buckwheat. At the same time, the lack of heat treatment does not change the carbohydrate structure, so the GI value of boiled green buckwheat on water is only 15 units.

To diet with insulin resistance was as effective as possible, experts recommend that the buckwheat diet should also use sprouted groats, which will add vegetable protein and vitamins to the body. Only the green version of buckwheat is suitable for sprouting.

Fractional nutrition in insulin resistance

The principles of fractional meals can hardly be called a diet in general. It is important to understand what foods can really be consumed in insulin resistance, because a fractional diet of sweet pastries and mayonnaise salads is unlikely to improve health.

If we reason in a simpler way, the fractional diet means these rules:

• eliminating overeating;
• controlling hunger;
• meals 5-6 times a day, but only in small portions - literally 150-200 g;
• once a week, one day off.

When switching to a fractional diet, you should start small: instead of a full bowl of porridge put half, and instead of a couple of cutlets - one. At first, nutritionists do not advise to sharply refuse and sweets. True, instead of a whole chocolate bar eat a quarter, and instead of a piece of cake - only a small part of it. Over time, a person gets used to eating less, and the body will no longer demand more.

It is not difficult to make up a split diet:

• it should consist of breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and, if desired, another small snack (for example, a glass of kefir or a piece of cheese);
• frequent meals in general should not exceed the allowable daily calorie intake;
• It is still better to gradually eliminate sweets, replacing them with fruits, nuts, dried fruits.

It is desirable that the menu includes citrus, eggs, vegetable salads, first courses, fish, dairy products.

Two meals a day in insulin resistance

If we talk about the system of two meals a day, the opinion of experts is unambiguous: eating only twice a day is relatively small, so the portions should be slightly larger than usual, and this is fraught with overeating. And the load on the digestive system when eating a large amount of food increases significantly, which is highly undesirable in insulin resistance.

Meanwhile, a competently selected twice-daily diet really allows you to achieve stabilization of insulin and blood glucose values, as well as normalize the sensitivity of pancreatic β-cells to insulin. For this purpose it is necessary:

• to eat at strictly defined times;
• watch the caloric content of meals, avoid overeating;
• give up sweets and alcohol;
• Drink enough water throughout the day.

Nutritionists emphasize that the danger for a person is not the fact of infrequent meals, but the quality of food, that is, what and how he eats these 2 times a day. If, having reached the food, he overeats, allows himself excess, he is unlikely to get rid of insulin resistance, and even add problems in the form of gastritis, pancreatitis and so on. Many people find it hard to endure such a big break, and they are forced to snack on the run, "break" on junk food, etc.

However, most nutritionists are in favor of three meals a day in insulin resistance: this mode is more natural and easy for the body, it is easier for a person to adjust to it, there is no need to radically change their eating habits. However, this issue should be decided on an individual basis, after consultation with a doctor.

Interval nutrition for insulin resistance

Interval dieting involves restricting food intake during certain hours - for example, a person eats for eight hours after waking up in the morning and then fasts for 16 hours. Such a cycle can be changed - for example, 6 hours you can eat, 18 hours - not, and so on. Proponents of this way of eating claim that it helps to eliminate insulin resistance and weight loss, improve brain function and even increase life expectancy.

It is recommended to start following this diet by choosing an 8-hour period of eating - for example, from 9 am to 5 pm. This choice is explained by the fact that this period is easier for the body: the diet includes a full, albeit somewhat late, breakfast, as well as lunch and an early dinner.

This is just one of the suggested options. Each person determines for himself the optimal boundaries that correspond to his life schedule and habits. However, to maximize the benefits, interval nutrition for insulin resistance should be based on natural quality foods containing essential vitamins and trace elements. Basic rules of nutrition:

• drinking enough fluids;
• no overeating;
• Limiting high-calorie foods;
• elimination of sugar.

If you follow all the rules, such a diet will positively affect the body, normalize blood sugar levels, accelerate the process of losing excess fat.

Benefits

What are the benefits of an insulin resistance diet?

• Insulin levels stabilize and blood sugar spikes disappear. Under conditions of low glucose intake, the body begins to use fat stores as an energy boost.
• Metabolic processes are activated, fat metabolism is accelerated.
• Normalizes the feeling of hunger and satiety, stabilizes appetite.
• The presence of sufficient protein foods prevents the breakdown of muscle tissue.
• The risk of developing diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and digestive diseases is reduced.
• All hormonal activity comes back to normal.

What can and what can not?

What can I eat?

Most foods, even natural ones, contain a certain amount of carbohydrates. It is important to make sure they are not quick, easily digestible carbohydrates, of which sugar is a basic representative - from regular sugar, jams, honey, to the vast majority of baked goods and sweets. Unlike complex carbohydrates and fiber, simple carbohydrates take only a few minutes to digest, provide an energy surge, and increase insulin levels.

In general, foods contain both simple and complex carbohydrates. In general, it is not so much the chemical molecular structure that matters, but the ease of digestion - i.e. The glycemic index.

• Simple carbohydrates:
  • glucose
  • fructose
  • sucrose
  • maltose
  • lactose
• Foods containing fast carbohydrates:
  • sugar
  • jam, confit, jelly, jam, honey
  • Packaged juices and sweetened carbonated drinks
  • candy, cookies, cakes, candied fruit, candied bread, breads
  • Sweet and starchy fruits and vegetables

What can't you eat?

Foods in insulin resistance should be selected not just correctly, according to the list. It is important to simultaneously think about reducing the total proportion of carbohydrates in the diet. The daily menu can be built on the basis of whole grains, vegetables, greens, fruits. It is desirable to refuse ripe bananas, sweet mangoes and grapes, which have a high glycemic index. Potatoes are also undesirable, due to their high starch content.

It is advisable to reduce the amount of animal fats in the diet. This will help stabilize the level of cholesterol in the blood. It is optimal to use vegetable oil, nuts, but refuse fatty pork and mutton, offal and lard, as well as a large amount of butter.

Other foods to avoid:

• sugar, candy, honey, syrups;
• b/w flour, pastry and cookies;
• any convenience foods;
• starchy dishes, semolina;
• store-bought juices, carbonated waters with sweeteners;
• any canned food (may contain sugar);
• alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages;
• sausage products, semi-finished products;
• snacks, chips, et cetera;
• breakfast cereals, granola.

Contraindications

Diet for insulin resistance is a kind of therapeutic methodology, which is based on proper nutrition that ensures the harmonious work of the digestive system and hormonal apparatus. The effect of diet on the body can be different, depending on the initial state of health and the presence of any specific pathologies that resulted in the development of insulin resistance. Dietary recommendations are selected for each patient individually and are aimed at the correction of liver disease, pancreas, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, etc. The effect of diet can vary depending on the initial state of health and the presence of any specific pathologies that resulted in the development of insulin resistance.

First of all, it is necessary to evaluate the new dietary rules sensibly: they should take into account all the important vitamins and minerals present in the diet. If a person after dietary correction began to feel worse, his sleep worsened, often began to worry about a bad depressed mood, this may be a signal that the diet is not all right, and it should be reconsidered. In addition, patients often combine several pathologies - in particular, insulin resistance is noted against the background of other chronic diseases, which requires additional attention from doctors. Thus, a special individual approach is required for people with such diseases:

• gastric and 12-pearl ulcers, chronic intestinal problems;
• hypertension and hypotension, anemia;
• gout, other metabolic diseases;
• cardiovascular pathologies, etc.

There is also a high probability that a person with insulin resistance may not be aware that he or she has another chronic disorder. In such a situation, a diet can be not only unhelpful, but also dangerous. Therefore, one should not take any risks: consultation with a doctor should be mandatory.

Possible risks

At first, following an insulin resistance diet may seem a bit difficult. As with any change in eating habits, you will need sufficient willpower and a desire to preserve your own health. You should be prepared for possible "breakdowns": it is important to understand that there is nothing terrible or critical in periodic "breakdowns", if they occur infrequently and do not last long.

It is recommended to pay attention to the presence of fiber in the diet to avoid intestinal problems.

Diet in insulin resistance for persons prone to diabetes mellitus should become not a temporary phenomenon, but a permanent food habit. Only in this case it will be possible to fully stabilize hormonal activity and avoid the adverse effects of insulin resistance.

It is important not to overdo it and to avoid an overabundance of protein in the diet, so as not to allow an increased load on the kidneys and liver. Another condition is to drink enough fluids daily.

To minimize the risks associated with the insulin resistance diet, you should visit your doctor regularly and consult with him or her about any dietary changes.

Complications

The first possible complication of the diet in insulin resistance is the feeling of lack of energy, which previously the body received mainly from simple carbohydrates, the intake of which is sharply limited. It is undesirable to reduce the proportion of fruits and vegetables to avoid a deficiency of fiber, which is necessary for good digestive processes. The adequate intake of prebiotics and antioxidants should also be monitored.

A sharp reduction in the consumption of carbohydrate food always leads to metabolic restructuring, which is often accompanied by sleep disorders, inhibition of mental activity - many patients begin to complain of deterioration of memory and concentration. Subsequently, against the background of the lack of important micronutrients, vitamins can suffer from the activity of the whole body - this happens if the diet is selected incorrectly, or in the presence of strict restrictions everywhere, not only simple carbohydrates. To avoid complications, it is additionally necessary to take care of the sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals in the body, as well as to revise the drinking regime.

Many people at the initial stage of transition to a diet with insulin resistance have headaches, a feeling of "fog" in the thoughts, irritability, dizziness, digestive disorders. This condition is explained by the fact that previously the body received a large amount of simple carbohydrates, which the body is accustomed to use in the first place without any economy. Over time, the necessary restructuring occurs, but it will be better if such changes are not abrupt, but gradual: a sudden change in diet is a considerable stress for the body. It is not necessary to switch to a diet with insulin resistance suddenly, one-step, in order not to provoke the development of serious consequences for the body.

Possible psychological problems cannot be excluded. So, the patient will have to carefully review the entire habitual diet, select products, check their composition, periodically explain to friends and relatives why he can not eat certain dishes. And incorrect selection of dietary menus, incorrect calculation of calories is fraught with serious violations in eating behavior.

Meanwhile, according to statistics, a well-formulated diet contributes to a significant improvement in the emotional state of patients with insulin resistance.

Detailed menu for each day

For insulin resistance, the menu can be designed as follows:

• Breakfast (choice):
  • vegetable salad with nuts, tea or coffee without sugar;
  • a couple of hard-boiled eggs, cucumber or tomato, rosehip decoction;
  • cottage cheese with sour cream, or cottage cheese casserole without sugar, unsweetened compote;

Fruit with yogurt, tea or coffee with milk without sugar.

• Lunch (optional):
  • vegetable soup, a piece of cheese, tea b/w;
  • boiled chicken breast (or fish) with vegetables, compote;
  • seafood salad, herbal tea b / c;
  • buckwheat with vegetables, or vegetable stew, fresh juice (citrus, carrot, apple).
• Dinner (choice):
  • sugar-free cottage cheese pudding or egg soufflé, kefir;
  • sugar-free baked apples with cottage cheese, yogurt;
  • stewed cabbage with fish, tea with mint;
  • steamed cutlets, meatballs with vegetables.

It is better not to use snacks at all. If this is not possible, they can be a maximum of 2-3: as a snack you can choose unsweetened yogurt, a glass of kefir, an apple, a carrot, a handful of nuts, a piece of hard cheese, an orange.

Recipes

• Vegetable Frittata. Ingredients: 4 chicken eggs, 1 tomato, 1 sweet pepper, 1 garlic clove, spices, 100 g of hard cheese, herbs, a little vegetable oil. Finely chop garlic, sweet pepper and tomato, fry in a small amount of vegetable oil. Separately beat eggs with salt, spices and herbs, add grated cheese, pour the mass to the vegetables. Put into the oven at 200°C for about 10 minutes.
• Zucchini casserole with cheese. Ingredients: 2 small zucchini, 2 eggs, 200 g of cheese (Adygeisky type), 1 garlic clove, herbs, salt and pepper, vegetable oil. Peel zucchini from the skin, grate, squeeze out excess moisture. Cheese is kneaded with a fork. Mix zucchini, cheese, eggs, add chopped garlic, finely chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Grease a heatproof mold with oil, pour the mixture and bake in the oven at 200°C for about half an hour.
• Creamy mushroom chicken fillet. Ingredients: 1 chicken fillet, 200 g mushrooms, 200 ml of natural yogurt, a small onion, salt and pepper. Mushrooms and onion are cut into plates, stewed in a frying pan with a little vegetable oil and water. The fillet is cut in several places. In a heatproof mold lay half of the stewed mushrooms, put the fillet on top of them, and top with the rest of the mushroom mass along with the remaining liquid from the stewing. Fill everything with yogurt and put in the oven at 175°C for about half an hour.

Testimonials

Most patients consider the insulin resistance diet to be the optimal nutritional system for health and longevity. In this case, the menu can easily be composed of diverse and tasty dishes. Among the reviews, the following advantages of this diet are especially often pointed out:

• Variety of diet, the ability to prepare delicious and even gourmet dishes with olive oil, seafood, yogurt and cheeses, chicken meat and herbs.
• Significant reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death (based on multiple studies).
• Positive effects on the digestive system, including the intestines, as well as the increase in the number of "good" bacterial flora.
• Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (by about 50%).

If we consider the negative reviews, there are relatively few of them. They include the following points:

If a person expects weight loss on a diet for insulin resistance, it will happen slowly, gradually. You can accelerate the process by joining sufficient physical activity.

Nutrition in insulin resistance should be of the highest quality: food should be fresh, semi-finished products are prohibited, which requires a more frequent stay at the stove and some additional funding.

Although the "pluses" of such a diet are still more, we can not ignore the possible contraindications to the diet in insulin resistance. In any situation, before drastically changing the diet, you should first consult with your doctor.

Results

Insulin resistance itself is not a disease. It is a borderline condition that can act as a key "provocateur" of many chronic pathologies. A healthy lifestyle, the use of quality natural products, regular physical activity - all these factors together help to avoid unwanted and sometimes serious complications, and if there is a disease due to impaired insulin sensitivity - to cure it. Specialists note that prevention of insulin resistance is one of the most effective ways to ensure a long and healthy life.

Diet in insulin resistance does not imply rapid weight loss and stabilization of insulin levels in the blood: it usually happens gradually, over several weeks. Already after 2-3 weeks, patients begin to feel a pleasant lightness, note the improvement of memory and performance. In addition to the correction of metabolic disorders, the diet helps to normalize cholesterol levels and improve the cardiovascular system.

The insulin resistance diet should not be perceived as just a certain type of food. It is a kind of lifestyle, including sufficient physical activity, walks in the fresh air, absence of overeating and stress. It is a conscious approach to one's own physical and mental health, which allows one to stay healthy, slim and young for a long time.