Insulin resistance and ways round it

[Kirbster]

I've been following keto strictly now for 4 months and have had huge successes both with my sugar levels and blood pressure.

However, over the last few weeks my sugar levels have started misbehaving again and I seem to need much more insulin than I did when I first went into ketosis. After reading a thread on this site I've realised this might be a common phenomenon for Type 1's and was wondering if anyone out there can advise if and how they've got round it. I'm considering either upping my carbs a fraction (I currently have around 20-25g per day) or perhaps having a cheat day once a week.

Any thoughts / experiences / stories would be welcomed!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I'm not a T1 and not on insulin.

There is something called Physiological Insulin Resistance. (PIR), which is not the same as diabetic insulin resistance. It happens when your body detects low levels of glucose in the body over a period of time. It sends signals to the cells to reject glucose in order to save what there is for the brain. The science behind it goes over my head, but it does cause a rise in blood sugar levels. It can be overcome by increasing the carbs for a few days. The body then stops panicking and goes back to normal, and the levels drop again. It is usually only necessary to increase the carbs temporarily to make it go away.

 

[tim2000s]

Hi @Kirbster, for me the way I manage the physiological insulin resistance aspect of low carbing is to do resistance training a few times a week. That may not be something that you want to do, but it works very effectively for me.

 

[Kirbster]

Thanks both of you for your answers, helpful stuff! I'm going to do a bit of research on PIR to see what I can learn from that. Gotta love this forum for learning new things!! I have also heard that resistance training can help, although I have a torn hamstring at the moment so my gym membership is on hold for a month. That can be something I try once I'm back on track.

 

[Brunneria]

I found that my PIR responds really well to exercise, too. Especially the High Intensity Interval Training stuff, although I very rarely do it.

And intermittent fasting, if you are up for that (see Jason Fung's Intensive Dietary Management blog for details on that - although it is worth saying that Fung works with type 2s, not type 1s, so obviously the fasting thing would need insulin compensation)

Glad the keto is going well

 

[Kristin251]

You could do upper body resistance training if you want to.

Have you changed your meals? Have you kept all macros the same ? Less fat? More protein? More dairy? Or are you mostly concentrating on carbs?

There are foods that make me insulin resistant. Grains of all kinds ( haven't eaten them in years) all dairy, animal fat, too many nuts and too large of a serving of protein. I have to keep vlc, MODERATE protein and high fat but more plant fats like avocado, mayo, olives, a few nuts or pumpkin seeds. Seems animal fat is harder for me to process and raises me more and sticks around forever!!

 

[Kirbster]

I found that my PIR responds really well to exercise, too. Especially the High Intensity Interval Training stuff, although I very rarely do it.

And intermittent fasting, if you are up for that (see Jason Fung's Intensive Dietary Management blog for details on that - although it is worth saying that Fung works with type 2s, not type 1s, so obviously the fasting thing would need insulin compensation)

Glad the keto is going well

Thanks for the response! I already do IF which works well for me. I mainly started doing it because I found I just wasn't hungry at breakfast time (a whole new world to me!) and it has served me well so far.

 

[Kristin251]

Thanks for the response! I already do IF which works well for me. I mainly started doing it because I found I just wasn't hungry at breakfast time (a whole new world to me!) and it has served me well so far.

Since I started insulin I can't fast in the morning. No amount of insulin will stop my morning rise without food. It doesn't have to be a lot but I do have to eat.
What time of day are your bs different?

 

[Kirbster]

You could do upper body resistance training if you want to.

Have you changed your meals? Have you kept all macros the same ? Less fat? More protein? More dairy? Or are you mostly concentrating on carbs?

There are foods that make me insulin resistant. Grains of all kinds ( haven't eaten them in years) all dairy, animal fat, too many nuts and too large of a serving of protein. I have to keep vlc, MODERATE protein and high fat but more plant fats like avocado, mayo, olives, a few nuts or pumpkin seeds. Seems animal fat is harder for me to process and raises me more and sticks around forever!!

There are so many different things I need to experiment with to figure it all out, it's mind blowing! I guess it's all just trial and error until I figure it out. I do try to keep my macros in the same range each day, I use the KetoDiet app for monitoring my intake. I do eat out a couple of times a week (and drink - white wine or vodka & soda) and I'm sure that doesn't help as although I choose carb free options I'm sure my macros are all over the place when I do that. Must remember, it's one day at a time!! I'm the sort who wants perfect results straight away, must learn to be patient

 

[Bluetit1802]

There are foods that make me insulin resistant. Grains of all kinds ( haven't eaten them in years) all dairy, animal fat, too many nuts and too large of a serving of protein. I have to keep vlc, MODERATE protein and high fat but more plant fats like avocado, mayo, olives, a few nuts or pumpkin seeds. Seems animal fat is harder for me to process and raises me more and sticks around forever!!

PIR isn't the same as insulin resistance. Low glucose over a period of time causes PIR, or at least how your body regards low glucose. The body is saving the available glucose for the brain so stops the other cells and organs from having any. Ordinary Insulin resistance is usually caused by too much insulin in response to too much glucose. (In Type 2s)

I wish I were better at describing it!

 

[Kirbster]

Since I started insulin I can't fast in the morning. No amount of insulin will stop my morning rise without food. It doesn't have to be a lot but I do have to eat.
What time of day are your bs different?

My bs seems to fluctuate randomly! Yesterday I woke and they were 15 and my usual insulin ratio needed to be doubled (and then some!) before it would come down. Most mornings I wake between 4-8 though. I don't really have much of a pattern, but I'm now keeping a diary to try and figure it out.

 

[Kirbster]

PIR isn't the same as insulin resistance. Low glucose over a period of time causes PIR, or at least how your body regards low glucose. The body is saving the available glucose for the brain so stops the other cells and organs from having any. Ordinary Insulin resistance is usually caused by too much insulin in response to too much glucose. (In Type 2s)

I wish I were better at describing it!

Makes perfect sense, don't worry

 

[Kristin251]

There are so many different things I need to experiment with to figure it all out, it's mind blowing! I guess it's all just trial and error until I figure it out. I do try to keep my macros in the same range each day, I use the KetoDiet app for monitoring my intake. I do eat out a couple of times a week (and drink - white wine or vodka & soda) and I'm sure that doesn't help as although I choose carb free options I'm sure my macros are all over the place when I do that. Must remember, it's one day at a time!! I'm the sort who wants perfect results straight away, must learn to be patient

You sound just like me. Haha. I used to only drink red wine. Now it's white or vodka water with a lemon. I keep my diet very clean and consistent but there are a few things worth working in so I keep the wine and vodka consistent too. Haha. Vodka lowers me and I do need a small bolus for the wine. It does add a very small amount of weight but willing to deal with that too until the weather changes.

Resistant training really spikes me so I no longer do it. I fear the hypos to follow.

I missed the boat with patients. I want everything to happen right away as well. Diabetes tells me it ain't gonna happen if the wind blows. Doing the best I can.

Just last night, after reading and researching taking BP meds before bed rather than in the morning can help DP. Well it did. Lowest fasting in a long time. Of course it could be coincidental but will continue until I see different.

Little seemingly minor changes can make a big difference

 

[Kirbster]

You sound just like me. Haha. I used to only drink red wine. Now it's white or vodka water with a lemon. I keep my diet very clean and consistent but there are a few things worth working in so I keep the wine and vodka consistent too. Haha. Vodka lowers me and I do need a small bolus for the wine. It does add a very small amount of weight but willing to deal with that too until the weather changes.

Resistant training really spikes me so I no longer do it. I fear the hypos to follow.

I missed the boat with patients. I want everything to happen right away as well. Diabetes tells me it ain't gonna happen if the wind blows. Doing the best I can.

Just last night, after reading and researching taking BP meds before bed rather than in the morning can help DP. Well it did. Lowest fasting in a long time. Of course it could be coincidental but will continue until I see different.

Little seemingly minor changes can make a big difference

Ooh I'm liking your thinking with regards to the alcohol! To be honest, I don't think alcohol affects me much either way, it's more the food I eat when I'm out that does it. Interesting what you say about how vodka and wine affects you differently though, might need to experiment a bit. Oh ****, that means more drinking .

Also interesting to hear about your BP meds! It will be interesting to hear if you continue to have good results from taking them in the morning. I have been on meds for BP for about 25 years but thanks to the keto diet my doc took me off them last month as my BP had lowered so much I was actually in the low zone and was getting head rushes all the time. Since coming off the meds my BP has raised slightly (phew!) but is completely in the normal range one month on. Nothing has affected my BP like that before, not even losing 4 stone about 12 years ago following a low fat diet. It still blows me away that this LCHF diet can have such a positive effect on BP.