How To Improve Insulin Sensitivity Naturally

Improve Insulin Sensitivity With ALA

ALA (Alpha-Lipoic Acid) plays a fundamental role in converting glucose to energy according to Dr. Stephan Jacob, of the University of Tübingen, Germany. He recently described a study he conducted of 74 diabetic people who were given at least 600 mg of ALA supplements daily. The ALA supplements stimulated insulin activity, which safely lowered and stabilized blood glucose levels in the patients. This is very notable for diabetics and pre-diabetics looking to reverse insulin resistance.

Diabetes and Poor Insulin Sensitivity

As I’ve previously stated in past posts, the early signs of diabetes is predominantly characterized by insulin resistance or poor insulin sensitivity. Poor insulin sensitivity can cause blood glucose levels to remain elevated beyond the healthy and normal blood sugar range. This can cause lethargy and fatigue among other symptoms. Some people can feel very sleepy after meals and the result of the fatigue is often diminished activity levels compounding the problem of poor insulin sensitivity.

ALA Supplements

As my last post recommended including citrus peel extract to help reverse insulin resistance my advice today is to take a tip from the good doctor and try supplementing with ALA, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike other omega-3s this is not found in abundance in fish but in plants. You can also easily find ALA supplements in many health food stores or online.

Food Sources of ALA
For those who want to stay natural and get your nutrients from your food the best food source for ALA is flaxseed and walnut. You would need to consume about 1.6grams of flaxseed to get 600mg of ALA. To aid in the cause try using flaxseed oil or walnut oil in your cooking and pick up some purslane from your grocer if you can find it.

Purslane is a leafy green containing a lot of omega-3 fatty acids including ALA. It is sometimes considered a weed in the US so you may have to look real hard for it in stores… or in your backyard. And don’t forget, statistically it has been shown that wine drinkers typically have higher levels of circulating omega-3s in their blood. Have a pinch of wine each day for your heart health and to support your omega-3 ALA levels.

Live Longer By Managing Insulin Sensitivity

Improving insulin sensitivity is one major step in reversing the building blocks of diabetes. Those who develop diabetes have noticeably shorter life expectancies and they experience more expensive health maintenance costs with all the medicine and accouterments they have to buy such as insulin pump supplies, diabetic support socks, and other miscellaneous required items. Make sure to get your ALA in addition to the many other ways to manage insulin sensitivity. Do them all and you can safely expect to live longer and healthier.

…and thanks for reading How To Live A Longer Life.

Source
Life Sciences, Volume 61, Issue 8