Diabetes and other metabolic disorders are becoming more prevalent. And naturopaths in Castlemaine and Bendigo prepared this article to provide an overview on how insulin resistance affects these and how can we naturally treat these metabolic disorders.
In looking at remedies that may be beneficial, researches investigate the underlying mechanisms that are believed to cause these disorders. One pathway is via insulin resistance. The pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream in response to blood sugar levels. Insulin stimulates the cells to increase their uptake of insulin.
Insulin resistance is where the body’s cells stop responding to insulin. Because they don’t respond, they don’t take up the extra sugar, making your pancreas release even more insulin. Until it reaches a point where the pancreas can’t keep up and your blood sugar just keeps rising.
Inflammation and Insulin Resistance
One of the potential causes of insulin resistance is the presence of chronic low-grade inflammation. This means that the body has been producing inflammatory factors over a long period of time, but at very low levels. Left unaddressed, this can lead to the damage of healthy cells and – over time – the development of other metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Fish Oil & Inflammation
Your body does have pathways that help to manage inflammation. Some of these pathways utilise omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids are still being investigated to determine exactly how they function within the body but it is known that omega-6 fatty acids stimulate inflammation and omega-3 fatty acids stimulate anti-inflammatory pathways.
Fish oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been found to support anti-inflammatory pathways. Research has also shown that fish oil supplementation has a beneficial impact on insulin sensitivity in people with abdominal obesity. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that fish oil supplementation, in people who have at least one symptom of a metabolic disorder, can reduce the risk of insulin resistance by nearly 50%.
Have a chat with our naturopaths to personally know what’s best for you.
Adipose Tissue & Fish Oil
Adipose tissue, also referred to as body fat, is so much more than a way for your body to store excess energy. It also plays a role in immune function, glucose homeostasis, and inflammatory pathways. Adipose tissue releases hypoxia-inducible factor-1, which is an inflammatory trigger. Long term release of this factor causes chronic inflammation, which activates your immune system. The combination of inflammation and immune activation interrupts insulin signalling – resulting in insulin resistance.
Fish oil helps to reduce inflammation and has immunomodulatory effects on adipose tissue. Helping your body to create healthier adipose tissue. It also supports the health of your cells and reduces the stress in the endoplasmic reticulum – another factor that can drive inflammation.
Incorporating a good quality fish oil into a comprehensive plan to help manage your health can have a positive impact on both blood sugar metabolism and insulin resistance.
Book your appointment now with the best naturopaths in Castlemaine and Bendigo to further discuss personal details if you are experiencing these disorders. You can also check our collection of organic health products available in our apothecary.
