Unlocking a Life Beyond Medications: The Secret to Mastering Blood Glucose Control

Proper blood glucose control is crucial for managing the long-term battle against insulin resistance and diabetes. I observe individuals struggle regularly. Despite adhering to a healthy diet, patients still struggle. Neglected blood sugar levels can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, and the need for dialysis because of kidney issues. It's possible to resolve this issue without medication or changing your diet. This tool has the power to change your health completely.

Your muscles, your health

I often discuss resistance training with poorly controlled diabetes patients, and they usually respond similarly. They tilt their head, squinting and furrowing their brow. "What's that?" they say.

Resistance training requires working against a force like weights or your body weight to build muscle. This activity is distinct from walking, running, or cycling. Challenging your muscles not only helps you become stronger, but also allows you to better control your blood sugars.

Here’s how it is effective:

Glucose storage

After you eat a meal, your muscles store 80% of the glucose, which ends up in your bloodstream. The stronger and bigger your muscle are the more efficient and optimized your post meal blood sugars will become. If you have already exercised and depleted your muscles of glycogen, this becomes even more true.

Increased insulin sensitivity

The bigger your muscles, the more insulin effective you become at removing sugar from your blood. 

Boosted glucose uptake

Being sedentary will kill you fast. Research shows that during the muscle contractions involved during exercise cause the muscle cells to vacuum up glucose 50 times greater than when you are just sitting around on your couch. The benefits of this mechanism bypass the negative effects of insulin resistance because it using a different pathway.

Improving your diabetes

The speed at which you can improve your blood sugars using resistance training is astonishing. In one study done of 16 weeks, individuals experienced a drop of around 1.1% in their hemoglobin A1C. This equals a drop of around 30-50 mg/dl.

Transformation

Improved blood sugar control improves your immune system, healing ability, heart health and prevents nerve damage. The positive health benefits are too many to list here. More energy and fewer medications. Regardless of whether you have diabetes or insulin resistance, incorporating resistance training into your routine can help prevent health issues.

The high intensity resistance training method.

This training method is ideal for busy individuals or those who want to minimize their exercise time while maximizing the benefits of resistance training. Check out the high-intensity resistance training model.

This approach, inspired by fitness pioneers like Arthur Jones, Mike Mentzer, Dr. Doug McGuff and John Little, focuses on this approach, inspired by fitness pioneers like Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer.

Compound Movements: Exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

Intensity: Challenging yourself with heavy weights or high resistance.

Short Rest Periods: Keeping breaks between exercises brief to maintain intensity.

 Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing the weight or resistance to continue challenging your muscles.

Simple Actionable Steps

1. Find a Fitness Professional: Look for a certified trainer who can guide you through proper resistance training techniques.
2. Workout Twice a Week: Aim for two sessions per week, each lasting about 25 minutes. Focus on full-body workouts that include both upper and lower body exercises.
3. Use Compound Movements: Incorporate exercises like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and rows. You should perform each exercise to failure with a weight that challenges you.
4. Follow a Low-Carb Diet: Combine your workouts with a low-carb diet to help manage blood sugar levels effectively.
5. Consult Your Doctor: Regular monitoring is essential. Your doctor can adjust any medications you may take as your blood sugar levels improve.

Flow

You have the power to overcome insulin resistance or diabetes and live life on your own terms. If you incorporate resistance training into your regular exercise routine, not only can you gain better control over your blood sugar levels, but you can also improve your overall health. By starting with these simple steps, and always keeping in mind that consistency is key, you can achieve success. Taking action now will lead to a future where you will be grateful for your decisions.