A health expert has revealed the top physical signs your body is heading towards type 2 diabetes – and the one thing you need to do to get your health back on track.
Former personal trainer and health advocate Rav Malik shared that your body develops several markers of insulin resistance before it develops diabetes.
Insulin resistance is a clinical condition in which insulin, the hormone secreted by the pancreas to control blood sugar levels in the body, no longer works as efficiently as it should.
Insulin has a profound effect on the body’s ability to burn fat and lose weight, and if you are insulin resistant, you will find it difficult to lose weight even if you eat in a calorie deficit.
To ensure your insulin levels stay within the recommended range, you need to reduce your intake of processed sugars and refocus your diet to include more protein.
What are the signs that you are on the road to type 2 diabetes?
Rav, the founder of The Feel great System, shared a video detailing the various symptoms, such as cracks in the back of your neck and swollen feet.
He revealed that your skin will also start to change, with the appearance of skin tags and pigment spots around your neck and knuckles.
Another surefire sign is when your belly fat is “hard” and “dense” instead of soft.
“If you touch your belly fat and it’s hard and compact, then you’re insulin resistant because the body is stuck in storage mode,” he said.
“Your feet will also swell because your body is retaining water and your blood pressure is higher,” he added.
“Your neck thickens, making it difficult to sleep and you can even develop sleep apnea.”
The health expert also revealed that having ‘flabby’ arms is a sign of insulin resistance.
Rav, the founder of The Feel great System, revealed that your skin will also start to change, with the appearance of skin tags and pigment spots around your neck and knuckles
A health expert has revealed the top physical signs your body is heading towards type 2 diabetes – and what you need to do to get your health back on track
Why do people develop insulin resistance?
“Our bodies are so tightly regulated, so every time we eat food, it raises our blood sugar levels,” Rav shared.
For example, a meal with a high sugar content, such as breakfast cereal, will significantly increase a body’s insulin levels and it will take longer to return to baseline levels.
‘It makes you hungry and tired and you want to eat more, but here lies the problem.
‘If you eat a lot of sugar all the time, your insulin doesn’t drop and your body starts to become resistant to it.’
That will cause you to develop hyperinsulinemia, which means the amount of insulin in the blood is higher than what is considered healthy.
“The new normal leads to illness: You start to experience the physical symptoms, but you also start to look older, crave sugar, have intense hunger and have trouble concentrating.”
One way to combat hyperinsulinemia is to regulate the amount of processed sugars you consume and replace them with natural sugars such as fruits and vegetables.
Warning signs of a body developing insulin resistance include swollen ankles and limp arms
Many thanked Rav for sharing his knowledge.
‘Wow, I didn’t know there were so many signs to look out for. I’m going to do a physical before I see my doctor – thanks!’ said one.
“I knew to be concerned about the sudden pigmentation – thanks for sharing,” another added.