Insulin resistance is defined as a condition in which the natural insulin hormone becomes either completely or slightly ineffective at lowering blood sugars in the body.  Insulin is a hormone produced by the cells located in the pancreas and is released from this location into the body to control a person’s metabolism.  Insulin also regulates cells and their growth throughout the body.

When a person becomes insulin resistant, the cells within the body become more resistant to insulin and as a result, the body requires more and more of it in order to regulate its effects.  Insulin resistance can lead to many health problems.  Insulin resistance is typically seen in people who experience the following:

How to Combat Insulin Resistance

Although diet and exercise are among the top choices for preventing insulin resistance, studies have shown an effective and new way to combat the condition.  Progesterone therapy is being used to treat both men and women who suffer from insulin resistance.  When a person is insulin resistant, the cells in the body have a difficult time taking in progesterone when blood glucose levels are out of whack.  This means that progesterone finds itself harder to be absorbed when the blood glucose levels are either too low or too high.

Progesterone is responsible in women for regulating fertility, pregnancy and menstruation.  It is a necessary and vital reproductive hormone that is produced naturally in the body.  Men also produce small amounts of progesterone and need the hormone to help balance the metabolism.

Studies have revealed that providing individuals with progesterone therapy; insulin resistance was decreased and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism was greatly improved.  The therapy is being used now to combat insulin resistance in combination with changes in lifestyle.  The combination is proving to be highly effective.

Benefits of Progesterone Therapy

In addition to its role in combating insulin resistance and improving blood glucose levels in the body, progesterone therapy offers a wide variety of other health benefits.  Progesterone therapy works to facilitate other hormones in the body as well, and provides valuable health components to both males and females.

In women, progesterone therapy has been found to improve the female libido, boost thyroid action and prevent osteoporosis.  While these are all large claims, research is currently being done to substantiate the results even more.

In men, undergoing some degree of progesterone therapy, value-added benefits include assisting the body to metabolize fat at a quicker rate rather than storing it and protection against some forms of cancer.

Both genders experienced progesterone therapy as a natural anti-depressant, as the hormone improved mood and even tranquilized during stressful times.  The benefits continue to surface on how progesterone therapy can improve a person’s health and wellness.  For those utilizing progesterone therapies for insulin resistance, there are added benefits that continue to make themselves known.

Explaining Heartburn And Reflux

Heartburn is described as a burning sensation that rises up through the lower chest and to the throat. Depending on its severity, it could last for several hours. On the other hand, reflux occurs when the acid in your stomach rises up into the esophagus causing a lot of discomfort and in many cases, people have difficulty swallowing accompanied by excessive regurgitation.

Watch For The Danger Signs

Experiencing these symptoms at least twice a week should ring the alarm bells. Left untreated, there is a chance that it could cause further complications leading to other health related problems. Quite often people will suffer through these symptoms unnecessarily when a visit to the doctor would be all that’s required. Proper management of heartburn and reflux in most cases will not only alleviate the uncomfortable and sometimes painful symptoms associated with it’s occurrence but improve significantly a person’s quality of life.

Making Important Changes In Your Lifestyle

Management can include making some lifestyle changes combined with dietary adjustments. Quitting smoking is a good starting point as smoking and heartburn usually don’t mix. If stress is a constant in your life then you need to find ways of reducing it and while this could mean a drastic re-think of your current lifestyle practices, give it serious consideration.

If you are overweight then consider losing some of those extra pounds. Fitting into your clothes more comfortably will be an obvious advantage of losing weight but did you know that tight fitting clothing, especially around the waistline, is a no no for heartburn sufferers?

Avoid Certain Foods

While it’s true that chronic heartburn and reflux sufferers will suffer symptoms despite what they eat: this is usually because of further deep-rooted medical problems; there are certain foods that can aggravate heartburn and reflux symptoms in many people. One of the advantages of reviewing your situation with your doctor is that these foods can be identified and a plan can then be put into place to either avoid them completely or limit the number of times they are consumed.

Some people will suffer a heartburn or reflux attack by simply looking at some types of food. Some of these include spicy and fatty foods, alcohol and in some cases, coffee. There is also strong evidence supporting the fact that consuming food several hours before “hitting the pillow” should be avoided at all costs.