A health expert has revealed the key 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 signs of insulin resistance before becoming diabetic.
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 have a difficult time losing weight even if you eat at a calorie deficit.
To ensure your insulin levels stay within the recommended range, you need to reduce your intake of processed sugar and change your diet to include more protein.
What are the signs that you are heading towards type 2 diabetes?
Rav, the founder of The Feel great System, shared a video in which he describes the various signs, such as cracks in the neck and swollen feet.
He revealed that your skin also begins to change, with the appearance of skin tags and pigmentation around your neck and ankles.
Another sure sign is if your belly fat is “hard” and “dense” instead of soft.
“If you touch your belly fat and it’s hard and dense, you’re insulin resistant because the body is stuck in storage mode,” he said.
“Your feet will also start to swell because your body is retaining water and your blood pressure is higher,” he added.
“Your neck becomes thicker and you have trouble sleeping, and you may even develop sleep apnea.”
The health expert also revealed that “flabby” arms are a sign of insulin resistance.
Rav, the founder of The Feel great System, revealed that your skin also begins to change, with the appearance of skin tags and pigmentation around your neck and ankles
A health expert has revealed the key 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
Why do people develop insulin resistance?
“Our bodies are so tightly regulated that every time we eat food, our blood sugar rises,” Rav shared.
For example, a high-sugar meal like cereal significantly increases the body’s insulin levels and takes longer to return to baseline levels.
“It makes you hungry and tired and makes you want to eat more – but here’s the problem.”
“If you constantly eat a lot of sugar, your insulin levels won’t go down and your body will start to become resistant to it.”
This causes you to develop hyperinsulinemia, which means the amount of insulin in the blood is higher than what is considered healthy.
“The new normal is causing nausea – experiencing the physical symptoms but also looking older, craving sugar, feeling intense hunger and having difficulty concentrating.”
One way to combat hyperinsulinemia is to regulate the amount of processed sugar you eat and replace it with natural sugars like fruits and vegetables.
Warning signs that the body is developing insulin resistance include swollen ankles and flabby arms
Physical signs that you are heading towards diabetes
- Cracks in the neck
- Skin spots and pigmentation
- Darkening of the skin on your fingers
- Swollen feet
- Gain neck weight
- Flabby arms
- Hard belly fat
OTHER SYMPTOMS
* Yellow, reddish, or brown spots on your skin
* Hard, thickening skin
* Blow
* An itchy rash and sometimes small blisters, dry, flaky skin, or a white discharge that looks like cottage cheese
* Open sores and sores
* Shin spots; The medical name is diabetic dermopathy and it usually occurs on the shins. In rare cases, you may see it on your arms, thighs, torso, or other parts of your body
* Eruption of small, reddish-yellow bumps
* Extremely dry, itchy skin
Source: American Academy of Dermatology
Many thanked Rav for sharing his knowledge.
“Wow, I didn’t know there were so many signs to look out for. ‘I’ll do a physical exam before seeing my doctor – thank you!’ said one.
“I knew I should be worried about the sudden pigmentation – thanks for sharing,” another added.