14 natural ways to improve your insulin sensitivity

Insulin is an essential hormone that controls your blood sugar levels. Its made in your pancreas and helps move sugar from your blood into your cells for storage. When cells are insulin resistant, they can’t use insulin effectively, leaving your blood sugar high. When your pancreas senses high blood sugar, it makes more insulin to over come the resistance and reduce your blood sugar. Overtime this can deplete the pancreas of insulin-producing cells, which is common in type 2 diabetes.

• Get more sleep- a good nights sleep is very important for your health. Several studies have also linked poor sleep to reduced insulin sensitivity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10898125/
• Exercise more- regular exercise is one of the best ways to increase insulin sensitivity. It helps move sugar into the muscles for storage and promotes an immediate increase in insulin sensitivity. For example, one study found that 60 minutes of cycling on a machine at a moderate pace increase insulin sensitivity for 48 hours among healthy volunteers. Aerobic and resistance training can help increase insulin sensitivity, but combining them in your workouts seems most effective.
• Reduce stress- stress affects your bodies ability to regulate blood sugar. It often encourages the body to go into “fight-or-flight” mode, which stimulates the production of stress hormones like cortisol and glucagon. Stress hormones also make the body more insulin resistant. This prevents nutrients from being stored and makes them more available in the bloodstream to be used for energy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209038/ Activities like meditation, exercise and sleep are great ways to help increase insulin sensitivity by reducing stress.
• Lose a few pounds- Excess weight, especially in the belly area, reduces insulin sensitivity and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Belly fat can do this in many ways, such as making hormones that promote insulin resistance in the muscles and liver. Fortunately, losing weight is an effective way to lose belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity. It may also reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes if you are pre-diabetic.
• Eat more soluble fiber- Fiber can be divided into two broad categories– soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber mostly acts as a bulking agent to help stool move. Meanwhile, soluble fiber is responsible for many of fibers associated benefits, like lowering cholesterol and reducing appetite. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435786/ Soluble fiber also helps feed the friendly bacteria in your gut, which have been linked to increased insulin sensitivity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705322/ https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13073-016-0303-2 Foods that are rich in soluble fiber include Legumes, Oatmeal, Flaxseeds, Vegetables like Brussels sprouts and fruits like oranges.
• Add more colorful fruit and vegetables to your diet- Not only are fruits and vegetables nutritious, they also provide powerful health-boosting effects. In particular, colorful fruits and vegetables are rich in plant compounds that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants bind to and neutralize molecules called free radicals, which can cause harmful inflammation throughout the body. When you’re including fruit in your diet, stick to normal portion sizes and limit your intake to two pieces or less per sitting and 2-5 servings per day.
• Add herbs and spices to your cooking- Herbs and spices were used for their medicinal properties long before they were introduced into cooking. Herbs and spices including Fenugreek, Turmeric, Ginger and Garlic have shown promising results for increasing sensitivity. Fenugreek seeds: They’re high in soluble fiber, which helps make insulin more effective. Eating them whole, as an extract or even baked into bread may increase blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. Turmeric: Contains an active component called Curcumin, which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It seems to increase insulin sensitivity by reducing free fatty acids and sugar in the blood. Ginger: This popular spice is linked to increased insulin sensitivity. Studies have found that its active compound gingerol makes sugar receptors on muscle cells more available, increasing sugar uptake. Garlic: In animal studies, garlic has appeared to improve insulin secretion and have antioxidant properties that increase insulin sensitivity.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon- Cinnamon is a tasty spice thats packed with plant compounds. Its also known for its ability to reduce blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609100/ Studies suggest that cinnamon increased insulin sensitivity by helping receptors for glucose on muscle cells become more available and efficient at transporting sugar into the cells. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2901047/ Interestingly, some studies have found that cinnamon contains compounds that can mimic insulin and act directly on cells. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11506060/
• Drink more green tea- Green tea is an excellent beverage for your health. Its also a great choice for people with type 2 diabetes or those who are at risk for it. Several studies have found that drinking green tea can increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3948786/ These beneficial effects of green tea could be due to its powerful antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which many studies have found to increase insulin sensitivity. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221342201300098X https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25891086/
• Try apple cider vinegar- Vinegar is a versatile liquid. You can clean with it or use it as an ingredient in foods, in addition to many other uses. Vinegar could help increase insulin sensitivity by reducing blood sugar and improving the effectiveness of insulin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25168916/ One study found that consuming apple cider vinegar increased insulin sensitivity by 34% during a high-carb meal in people who were insulin resistant and by 19% in people with type 2 diabetes. http://link-https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281
• Cut down on carbs- Carbs are the main stimulus that causes insulin blood levels to rise. When the body digest carbs into sugar and release it into the blood, the pancreas releases insulin to transport the sugar from the blood into the cells. Eating smaller portions of carbs regularly throughout the day provides the body with less sugar at each meal, making insulin’s job easier. This is also supported with research showing that eating regularly benefits insulin sensitivity. Low-glycemic index (GI) carbs are best, since they slow the release of sugar into the blood, giving insulin more time to work efficiently. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-8-5 Carb sources that are low-GI include sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and some varieties of oatmeal.
• Avoid trans fats- If theres anything worth removing from your diet completes, its artificial trans fats. Unlike other fats, they provide no health benefits and increase the risk of many diseases. http://link-https://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h3978 Foods that typically contain artificial trans fats include pies, doughnuts and fried fast foods. Artificial trans fats are typically found in more processed foods. Fortunately, in 2015 the FDA declared trans fats unsafe to eat. It gave food manufacturers three years to either gradually remove trans fats from their food products or to apply for social approval.
• Reduce your intake of added sugars- Theres a big difference between added sugars and natural sugars. Natural sugars are found in sources like plants and vegetables, both of which provide lots of other nutrients. Conversely, added sugars are found in more highly processed foods. The two main types of sugars added during the production process are high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar, also known as sucrose. Both contain approximately 50% fructose. The effects of fructose on insulin resistance also appear to affect people who dont have diabetes, as reported in an analysis of 29 studies including a total of 1,005 normal and overweight or obese participants. The findings showed that consuming a lot of fructose over less than 60 days increased liver insulin resistance, independent of total calorie intake. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27935520/ Foods that contain lots of added sugar are also high in fructose. This includes candy, sugar-sweetened beverages, cakes, cookies and pastries.
• Try a supplement- The idea of taking natural supplements to increase your insulin sensitivity is fairly new. Many different supplements may increase insulin sensitivity, but chromium, berberine, magnesium and resveratrol are backed by the most consistent evidence. Chromium: A mineral involved in carb and fat metabolism. Studies have found that taking chromium picolinate supplements in doses of 200-1000 mcg could improve the ability of insulin receptors to reduce blood sugar. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9356027/ Magnesium: A mineral that works with insulin receptors to store blood sugar. Studies have found that low blood magnesium is linked to insulin resistance. Taking magnesium may help increase insulin sensitivity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15223977/ Berberine: A plant molecule extracted from a variety of herbs including the plant Berberis. Its effects on insulin are not exactly known, but some studies have found it increases insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/ Resveratrol: A polyphenol found in the skin of red grapes and other berries. It may increase insulin sensitivity, especially in those with type 2 diabetes, but its function is poorly understood. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24695890/

The bottom line, Insulin is an important hormone that has many roles in the body.

When your insulin sensitivity is low, it puts pressure on your pancreas to increase insulin production to clean sugar form your blood. Low insulin sensitivity may also result in chronically high blood sugar levels, which are thought to increase your risk of many diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.

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