Diabetes – by Marthinus Opperman – May 16, 2025

5 Warning Signs of Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is often overlooked as a serious health problem. Insulin resistance goes hand-in-hand with diabetes. It can also be easily caused by unhealthy daily habits. To understand why insulin resistance can be so dangerous, let’s first see what insulin is all about and what the signs of insulin resistance are… What is the function of insulin in the body? First things first: Insulin is a good thing. It is the hero in the fairytale of our health. It is when we do things that make insulin ineffective or non-existent that it becomes the middle point of many health problems. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and its main function is to regulate the sugar in our bloodstream. When we eat food that contains sugar or carbohydrates, it triggers the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream to help regulate this sugar and make sure it finds its way to the right places in our bodies. The insulin takes the glucose (sugars) from the food we eat and helps the body use it as fuel to perform our daily physical and mental activities and functions. However, any excess sugar that is not used for energy gets stored in the body’s cells as fat, which leads to weight gain and even obesity. Now that we know what insulin does, we can see what happens when it isn’t able to do its job… What is Insulin Resistance? If you have ever wondered exactly what insulin resistance is, then you have come to the right place… Insulin resistance is when the body’s cells do not respond properly to the insulin, thus not taking up the glucose from the bloodstream as it should. This renders the insulin that is released less effective, or even completely useless. In order to make up for the insulin resistance, the pancreas releases more insulin. However, it eventually reaches a point where it does not matter how much insulin is released, it ineffective and unable to control the blood sugar levels. This then results in constantly high blood sugar levels, which lead to type-2 diabetes. Some misconceptions about insulin resistance are: It only affects people who are overweight and eat too many sweets There is nothing you can do about insulin resistance These statements are however completely false, as insulin resistance can happen to anybody and there are most certainly things one can do about dealing with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be naturally prevented or even reversed. Now, let’s see what the warning signs are of insulin resistance… 5 Warning Signs of Insulin Resistance Whilst the warning signs and symptoms of insulin resistance may vary from one person to the next, the 5 most common and most dangerous signs are: High blood pressure. Hig insulin levels and high blood pressure are interlinked. When you suffer from high blood pressure, the chances are extremely high that you are suffering from insulin resistance as well – and you might not even be aware of it! High cholesterol levels. It is a typical warning sign that people with insulin resistance have high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and low levels of good cholesterol (HDL). Heart disease. Having problems like atherosclerosis (the hardening of the arteries) and other heart problems can be a bright, flashing red light for insulin resistance and should be of big concern. Insulin resistance and obesity go hand-in-hand. This can usually be seen by large amounts of excess body fat, especially around the belly. Obesity and insulin resistance works in a vicious cycle where obesity can lead to insulin resistance, and vice versa. 4. Being Overweight Being overweight or obese is what many people have in mind when they hear insulin resistance. And with good reason – as these two problems are linked most of the time. Being overweight can cause insulin resistance to develop, but being insulin resistant can also cause you to gain weight. It really is a vicious cycle. Kidney damage. Protein in the urine is a sign that kidney damage has occurred, although this is usually not the first sign of insulin resistance. How Is Insulin Resistance Diagnosed? There is no set or simple test to diagnose insulin resistance. However, here are some of the factors that your doctor would consider when diagnosing insulin resistance: Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher. A waist size of 100cm or more in men and 88cm or more in women. Triglycerides levels are higher than 2.2mmol/L. An HDL (good cholesterol) level of less than 1.3mmol/L for men and 1.5mmol/L for women. Fasting blood glucose levels of 5.5mmol/L or higher. How can I treat insulin resistance? The key is to get to- and then maintain a healthy weight through healthy lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes include the right diet, exercise, and Manna Blood Sugar Support.  Here is how you can implement healthy lifestyle changes… Diet – This is not a “diet” where you try to lose 10 kg in 2 weeks. It is a sustainable way of healthy eating that you can follow for months, years, and the rest of your life without feeling inconvenienced. It will also help you to lose weight, and make sure that the weight stays off. And weight loss is another great way to reduce the risk of insulin resistance. Reduce your intake of refined carbs (White bread, white rice, pasta, etc.) and sugar (Table sugar, sweets, cookies, etc.) Eat more protein (1/3 of every meal should be protein) Load up on delicious veggies and salads. It doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless – the internet is chock-full of yummy and healthy recipes. Learn to say no to processed and deep-fried food like takeaways. PORTION CONTROL – even healthy foods contain calories that can add up if you don’t stick to your portions. Get the full FREE Manna Diet e-book now. Exercise – This doesn’t mean that you have to become a gym junkie. It just means that you have to do literally anything to become more active. Exercise has endless health benefits, one of which is the ability to prevent or treat insulin resistance. So in order to exercise successfully, you have to make sure that you get active at least 4 times a week. But if you can do it more often – all the better. Here are a few ideas for exercise that don’t involve the gym: Take up cycling Start jogging – it takes only a pair of shorts and some running shoes. Go hiking over the weekends Do some gardening – you will be surprised how many calories you can burn. Use household items for weight training (Water bottles, paving stones, bricks – get creative!) Go dancing Jump or skip rope The ways you can exercise are only limited to your imagination. Manna Blood Sugar Support – This amazing product helps you to keep your blood sugar levels under control. But because you have your blood sugar levels under control, it also means that you are controlling your insulin levels. Manna Blood Sugar Support can help the body to respond better to insulin and use it much more effectively. What is Manna Blood Sugar Support? The Manna Blood Sugar Support  is an all-natural health supplement made from the pods of the Prosopis (Mesquite) tree, and it does not have any negative side effects like many chemical alternatives have. How does the Manna Blood Sugar Support work? Manna Blood Sugar Support gels with the food we eat and then slow-releases the sugar from this food into the bloodstream. What this means is that the blood sugar levels in the body do not get a sudden spike, and there is no need for the pancreas to release a bunch of insulin. Another thing to do when trying to get your blood sugar levels stable is to stop fighting the incredible effects of the Manna Blood Sugar Support by eating things that are constantly trying to shoot up your blood sugar levels. Follow a healthy diet like the one found in the Manna Diet e-book However, if you do decide to be a bit naughty and have an unhealthy take away or a chocolate every once in a while, take aManna Blood Sugar Support tablet or two with it, and it will help keep the blood sugar spike under a bit more control. It is the perfect thing to help you keep your insulin levels balanced and lose weight!