Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, and Skeletal Muscle!

It IS important to maintain and BUILD skeletal muscle as part of the management of insulin resistance and all the complications that result from insulin resistance - like diabetes (type 2 AND type 1 - yes, insulin resistance can ALSO affect type 1!) and fatty liver disease, to name a couple.

Muscles - when we move them (stress on movement here!!), are able to pull glucose from the circulation and use it for energy. And it does this without needing insulin's help.

In fact - in individuals with normal function of pancreas, insulin levels drop at the start of exercise. That is a normal part of human physiology.

So muscles are able to use glucose independent of insulin, the pancreas gets a break, and blood sugars go down - a fantastic way to treat and prevent insulin resistance!

To build muscle, this means doing at the minimum two days of strength training a week. Make sure you are meeting your protein targets (discuss your targets with your trusted health professional so they can guide you related to your health goals and take your kidney function into account) and that your protein sources are lean (and mean 😉- couldn't resist).

As a plant-based endocrinologist, I am able to meet my protein targets, I am mindful of getting enough leucine, and yes, I do have to be intentional about all of it.

As you start strength training, also make sure that you continue to challenge yourself as the weeks pass and increase the load you lift, to keep on promoting muscle growth.

Let's go! 🏋🏻🏋🏿‍♀️💪🏽

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