5 Easy Ways to Increase Insulin Sensitivity in Midlife

Have you heard of insulin sensitivity? It’s all about how well your body’s cells respond to insulin, which is a big deal for your blood sugar levels. When your cells are more sensitive to insulin, they use blood glucose more effectively, helping keep blood sugar balanced.

As a woman in midlife, having good insulin sensitivity is key for staying on top of your metabolic health! Looking back, I wish I’d understood this better during my own perimenopause journey — also known as the transition to menopause.

During perimenopause, as your estrogen levels drop, your body might become less responsive to insulin. This can lead to insulin resistance, where insulin doesn’t work as well in your body, potentially increasing your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Now, every woman’s experience is unique, and the reasons for insulin resistance can vary. But the good news is, with some lifestyle changes, you can get things back on track.

Let’s dive into how insulin works, why insulin resistance can show up during perimenopause, and five simple ways to boost your insulin sensitivity.

What is Insulin’s Role In the Body?

Each time you eat, your body breaks down your food into glucose, the primary source of energy in the body. It requires insulin to move the glucose from your blood into your cells. This is a chemical messenger that allows cells to do their job of absorbing glucose from the blood.

Here’s a simple analogy… Pretend your cells are at a party and insulin is the bouncer or gatekeeper. Glucose (energy drink) shows up and will easily get into cells if they are ‘insulin sensitive’ meaning glucose gets in since it’s on the VIP list.

But if you are dealing with insulin resistance, your cells are like that person who never RSVPs. Sadly, your glucose is left hanging out in your blood continually waiting for a chance to join the party. Or, you can think of insulin as the key necessary to let glucose enter the cells. Without the key, you’ll have lots of insulin available but not working well.

Since a balance of insulin regulates blood sugar and many processes in the body, levels that are too high or low will start to cause symptoms. Left untreated, serious health problems including diabetes can develop.

Continue reading to learn why insulin resistance shows up with changing sex hormones and ways to increase your insulin sensitivity.

Why Does Insulin Resistance Happen During Perimenopause?

As your sex hormone levels fluctuate in perimenopause, the cells in your body respond differently to insulin.

It’s important to note that the body recognizes insulin as a ‘major’ hormone that ultimately affects other hormones.

Changes in your sex hormones will trigger changes in your blood sugar levels. A lot of you may have experienced low blood sugar levels at times. Many women describe this feeling as brain fog.

As you try to feel better and correct how you feel, you may take shortcuts and rely on simple carbohydrates — foods that enter the bloodstream quickly as glucose. If you choose these foods, your body has to release high insulin levels to keep the glucose in your bloodstream balanced.

Over time, the cells have a difficult time keeping up. More and more insulin is released, which can disrupt your cellular metabolism and increase inflammation. Chronic inflammation in midlife can be linked to several health issues.

Learn more about how you can reduce inflammation in your body in my blog post ‘Reduce Inflammation as You Eat Intuitively.’

During my 30s and 40s when I entered perimenopause (but didn’t know it), I developed poor habits. I tried to relieve how uncomfortable I was feeling by consuming high-sugar foods and wine.

Over time, weight gain, unbalanced moods, and poor sleep caught up with me. I was bloated and tired all the time. The more I learned about my changing hormones, the more I recognized that I needed to make small, consistent changes to lose the 20 pounds I’d gained, sleep better, and get back my energy!

Reach out to me to learn more about how I can help you feel your best in midlife!

Five Ways to Restore Insulin Sensitivity

1. Manage Stress: I know… easier said than done but this one really matters! When you’re stressed out, your body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline to help with the “fight or flight” response. It’s harder for insulin to work with excess stress hormones flooding your body. Try deep breathing, yoga, stretching, or journaling to slow down and manage your stress.
2. Exercise: Increase your physical activity each day in some way that you enjoy. Movement will release feel-good hormones as well as help your body use the insulin you produce. Take a walk with a friend, incorporate weight training into your routine, take the stairs when you can, and get your steps in anywhere you can to keep your body moving.
3. Sleep: Getting 7 – 9 hours of good sleep will leave you well-rested and help balance your blood sugar so you continue to make healthy choices with nutrition. Not getting enough sleep can increase your risk of disordered glucose metabolism leading to insulin resistance. Learn how to get improved sleep in my blog post ‘Seven Ways to Get Better Sleep in Midlife.’
4. Nutrition: Increase Soluble Fiber. Increasing your intake of soluble fiber can have positive metabolic effects, including improving insulin resistance. Increase your intake of oats, beans, avocados, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. Eat more Unsaturated Fats. Consuming a moderate amount of unsaturated fats is associated positively with improved insulin resistance. Add more fish, vegetables, olive oils, nuts, and seeds to your diet. Lower your intake of added sugars. Higher intakes of highly processed foods have been shown to increase insulin resistance. Pay attention to hidden sugars in foods such as sweetened yogurt, sodas, caffeinated beverages, ketchup, and other condiments. Overall, embracing a Mediterranean-style meal plan will help you embrace a healthier way of nourishing your body.
5. Supplements: The following supplements have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity — probiotics, omega-3, magnesium, and resveratrol. Discuss with your physician before adding any new over-the-counter supplements or medications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can insulin sensitivity be improved?

Yes, there are many ways to improve insulin sensitivity through lifestyle choices. It’s important to note, however, that not all causes are reversible. You should work with your doctor to see what the best way to manage insulin resistance is.

What are the symptoms of being insulin-resistant?

Initially, as your pancreas produces insulin to keep your blood sugar levels in range, you won’t have any symptoms. However, over time, you may develop signs of elevated blood sugar such as increased thirst and hunger, headaches, blurred vision, and frequent urination. Follow up with your physician with these or any new symptoms that you notice.

What is the difference between insulin resistance and diabetes?

Firstly, not everyone with insulin resistance is diabetic. Insulin resistance isn’t a cause of Type I diabetes. Type I diabetes is a condition that affects the insulin-making cells of the pancreas. People with this condition don’t make enough insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is usually preceded by insulin resistance. Lifestyle modifications will help prevent someone with insulin resistance from developing Type 2 diabetes.

Next Steps

With hormones shifting and life’s demands piling up, self-care often falls off the to-do list for many women.

But making improvements in how you eat, sleep, manage stress, and move your body will undoubtedly help your body remain insulin-sensitive.

Becoming insulin-resistant is a complex condition that can affect your health in many ways. Your body will learn to adapt to this condition, but if left unmanaged, you will eventually show signs of prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. If you feel you have insulin resistance, now is the time to make the changes you need to feel your best!

Take care of your health and reach out to me to let me know how you embrace self-care in midlife! I’d love to hear from you.