Everyone should pay attention to metabolic health. By improving it, you set yourself up for a longer and happier life.

Metabolic health is closely tied to insulin sensitivity. Being sensitive to insulin allows you to regulate blood sugar, burn fat more efficiently, and lower your risk for many chronic illnesses.

Measuring insulin sensitivity accurately may be difficult, but that shouldn’t be used as an excuse for inaction. Simple diet and lifestyle modifications such as sleep, exercise, carb restriction and others have long been proven to increase insulin function.

Today you’ll learn how to increase sensitivity naturally and measure it, but first let’s define “sensitivity”.

What Is Insulin Sensitivity? Insulin sensitivity refers to how efficiently insulin stores blood sugar in cells. When you’re insulin sensitive, liver and muscle cells absorb blood glucose efficiently so your blood sugar stays within healthy ranges.

Insulin resistance is the opposite of insulin sensitivity; muscle and liver cells that don’t listen to insulin lead to elevated blood sugar levels that remain elevated for too long and eventually end up stored as fat deposits.

Insulin resistance is at the core of type 2 diabetes. It demonstrates how poorly responding to insulin leads to high blood sugar, unchecked fat storage, and an inflated risk for all chronic disease.

Measuring Insulin Sensitivity
There are various methods available for measuring insulin sensitivity, some easier than others. One scientifically valid way involves clamping the liver (to stabilize glucose production) while insulin dripping into a patient to assess his or her response; other IV-based techniques provide similar convenience as flying cross-country with two layovers and having your carry-on bag checked or lost by airline staff.

An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is one way of measuring insulin sensitivity, and requires drinking large quantities of glucose and being monitored over the course of two or four hours by test takers who will sample your blood on an ongoing basis. Although not an enjoyable way to spend your Friday afternoon, OGTT testing could be worth your while if diabetes concerns are raised.

More convenient yet less precise markers of insulin sensitivity include:

Fasting insulin alone cannot diagnose diabetes; however, lower values (under 12.2 mu/mL) correlate with insulin sensitivity. A fasting glucose to insulin ratio below 4.5 was indicative of PCOS women being resistant to insulin; homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) indicates this by producing products of fasting insulin divided by 405 and insulin divided by 405, and when greater than 4.5 it indicates an individual as being insulin-resistant.
Insulin sensitivity factor (ISF) is another essential metric for people living with diabetes; it measures how much blood sugar drops with each unit of insulin administered (e.g. a factor of 1:60 indicates 60 mg/dL decrease per insulin unit administered). To calculate an ISF score for yourself, divide a constant (1800 for regular and 1500 for rapid-acting) by how many insulin units you take daily.

Enhancing Insulin Sensitivity
To maintain good health over your lifespan and live longer, aim to avoid insulin resistance. Benefits of improving insulin sensitivity may include:

Lower blood sugar (hyperglycemia), an inflammatory state that damages blood vessels and deactivates DNA repair genes. Rapidly returning to fat burning after eating carbohydrates. Lower risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, liver disease, diabetes and many cancers as a result of decreased excursions; reduced need for supplemental insulin (for those living with diabetes); all the benefits that come with living a healthier lifestyle
The last bullet may seem self-evident, but it’s an essential insight: increasing insulin sensitivity through exercise, better sleeping patterns and nutritional eating can have far-reaching impacts on all areas of health and wellbeing.

As we begin our pursuit of improved health, let’s address how to naturally increase insulin sensitivity. How should your life be structured so as to optimize for insulin sensitivity?

Be warned: we won’t discuss medications like Metformin and supplements like Berberine that may improve insulin sensitivity, such as Metformin or Berberine. Research each of these molecules on your own before making decisions based on what works for you but keep in mind that no pill can replace exercise, sleep and good nutrition!

1: Exercise For increasing insulin sensitivity, regular aerobic exercise may be your greatest asset. Regular aerobic activity improves metabolic health while decreasing risks for nearly every chronic disease condition.

Strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also have been shown to significantly increase insulin function; one six week study found HIIT training boosted both LDL cholesterol and fat mass levels while increasing sensitivity.

2: Don’t Overeat (Especially Carbs )

Overeating can put your metabolism at risk when more calories than it can metabolize are consumed; even healthy foods (almonds come to mind!) can become overdone.

But refined carbs can be easier to overindulge in than protein-rich whole foods; it’s much simpler to overindulge in cookie binges than in salmon with broccoli.

Whole food approaches such as Keto and Paleo tend to work for weight loss and blood sugar control. Keto diets such as the Insulin Sensitivity Diet can help provide effective insulin sensitivity management by keeping you satisfied while restricting macronutrients (carbs) that elevate blood sugar significantly.

3: Consider Time-Restricted Feeding

Another strategy for controlling portions is time-restricted feeding – compressing it down to 8-12 hour sessions can help limit overeating.

Studies suggest intermittent fasting may reduce insulin resistance, though researchers do not yet fully understand why. Partiality control and weight loss could be factors.

4. Sleep Well mes Did you know a good night of rest can actually increase the fat-burning potential the following day? Getting ample rest reduces insulin usage for blood sugar management, thus helping increase fat burning by burning more.

5: Manage Stress Long-term stress has many adverse side effects that are linked to insulin resistance:

Stress eating may lead to impaired beta cell function (beta cells in the pancreas help manage glucose levels), elevated LDL cholesterol, increased inflammation, overstimulation of the autonomic nervous system and higher cortisol levels – as well as issues with fluid balance.
No one can achieve 100% stress-free status, nor should they attempt to. But mindfulness techniques such as meditation and yoga, sleeping well, and avoiding work overload may help manage chronic stress effectively.

Maintain Insulin Sensitivity
Being insulin sensitive is the foundation for good metabolic health – and longevity depends upon it!

Maintain insulin sensitivity by:

Exercising, keeping portions in check (especially carbs), getting enough sleep and paying attention to stress management are all ways you can take steps towards better health today and into the future. Make a small change today that could contribute to longer term wellbeing – that will benefit yourself today as well as future you.