[Doll]

What is Insulin Resistance?
Many of us PCOS-sufferers also suffer from the insulin resistance linked to it. Insulin resistance (IR) is also referred to as "pre-diabetes", as it will commonly turn into Type 2 diabetes if left untreated. Insulin does many things within the body, including helping the body grow new cells. When you are insulin resistant, your body does not respond to normal levels of insulin, and as a result, your body works extra hard to create higher levels of insulin that your body is able to respond to. This causes fatigue, fat gain, the inability to burn fat and bloating, among other things.

How To Treat IR?
The best way to treat insulin resistance is to help promote insulin sensitivity (IS) within your body. Insulin sensitivity will help your body function properly on much lower levels of insulin, and can alleviate all the side effects associated with IR.

(I have read that Saw Palmetto can help with IR, and also that it only helps with the high-T aspect of PCOS. So I can't say for sure that it DOES help with IR, just that it does help with PCOS and most of us should be taking it anyway. If anyone can find facts to back up SP's ability to affect IR, please let me know.)


An Insulin Sensitivity Diet
There are a few different supplements we can add into our daily lives to help switch our insulin resistance over to insulin sensitivity. I'm going to start out with my personal favourite, apple cider vinegar (ACV). While bitter, ACV can make a drastic change for those of us who are IR. When taken before a meal, ACV can help make you IS, so that when you eat, your body is able to properly process its own insulin. Not only will it help your body put less fat on, but it will actually help you lose weight over time. It is especially well know for weight loss, even in those who are not IR. It also helps keep our body's pH at optimal levels.

When choosing an ACV, look for something that says "raw" and "organic", and is a murky brown colour with pieces floating in it. It may look a little rough around the edges, but this type of ACV will be unprocessed, and is the only way you will truly be able to reap the benefits from it.

Read more here to learn about the many benefits of ACV.

Higher protein in your diet can have a positive effect, while also limiting carbs and sugar. Protein raises IS, and consuming less carbs and sugar will help keep you from becoming too IR, and from putting on more fat. Also, be wary of fructose, natural fruit sugars.

Supplement with Omega 3's to help balance out your Omega levels. Most people get plenty Omega 6 and 9's, but not enough Omega 3's.

Green tea may help divert carbs towards the muscle cells rather than the fat cells. So, instead of feeding the fat in your body, you will instead be feeding the muscles. Much more appealing, isn't it?

Cinnamon?
Yes, cinnamon. It can help increase IS to burn fat and build muscle, so start learning to sprinkle some cinnamon over your food throughout the day (opt for plain cinnamon, not cinnamon and sugar, otherwise you're canceling out the great effects of the cinnamon!) If you need that cup of coffee or hot chocolate (I know it's starting to get cold out over here in the US), throw some cinnamon in there and enjoy a spiced holiday flavor. Or sprinkle it in your cereal or on toast. There are also some teas you might enjoy it in, so try new things whenever you think of it, and see what you like best.

And don't forget about ALA. It helps raise IS by 18-57%! Since the amount needed to really raise IS is so much higher than what you'll find in your daily diet, you'll need to supplement.

How Can This Affect NBE?
Well, you have to look at this from a few different viewpoints. First off, let's state the obvious that by controlling our IR, we will be able to lose fat (which will mostly be stored in our stomachs), and a flatter stomach will not only make our breasts look larger, but will also give us a better overall appearance and confidence. Personally, I am still very thin (25" waist with corsetting), however, before gaining all this fat from IR, I was probably naturally a 23" waist or so, and looked much more appealing from the side. The weight that I've put on is visceral fat; so it can't be seen as much from the outside, but on the inside it is surrounding my organs and would create health problems in the future if things were to continue this way.

Second, insulin levels and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels are directly linked. So, if your insulin levels are high, your HGH levels will be low. By lowering your insulin levels, your growth hormone levels will be able to rise. As you may know, HGH is touted as being very important in NBE, and will help your body to create the cells needed for new breast tissue.


I'm going to the store to buy ACV and ALA tomorrow, and will be following this diet plan to a T (I won't be supplementing with Omega 3's, however I will be eating more tuna fish, as it will raise both my Omega 3's and my protein drastically). I'm hoping to finally start seeing results, and maybe this new diet plan will finally help my body release the fat it's holding onto, as well as helping me build muscle even faster.

I'll let you guys know how this diet goes for me, and I greatly encourage anyone else suffering from IR to do the same! I've never been able to burn fat from dieting and exercise, and I think getting my IR under control is what I need most to achieve this.

Also, I had a list of other IS supplements, but totally lost it, so if anyone knows any other, please do post them!

[Babakins]

Good stuff Doll, although you already know I think your figure is great as it is!

I found this link which I thought people may find useful:

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009/may2...Fat_02.htm

[Doll]

So, I've been on this diet for a little under a week now. I'm already noticing a slight increase in energy right after taking an ACV shot, and I'm less bloated and my stomach's already looking flatter! I haven't been able to really workout yet, so I think once I am I'll get even better results.

The ACV is BITTER!!! I take half a shot of that, and follow it up with a shot of Sunny D. The Sunny D really helps mask the taste. It smells like dirty feet, and the first few times drinking it, it burned the living hell out of my throat! But now that I'm getting used to it, it's not so bad. Also bought Alpha Lipoic Acid (300mg), and take that every day with a meal (I take it with my L-Tyrosine).

I'm almost out of my ACV already, I can't believe it. Glad it's so cheap, I'll buy a few at a time next time. If you only take the 1 tablespoon at a time as is recommended, it'll last longer, but since I don't usually eat 3x a day, the half a shot does better for me.

I'll update once I start really seeing results, hopefully by the New Year.


Also~
Don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. But for those in marijuana-friendly states and countries, occasional smoking may actually help with insulin resistance. I've read of other women with PCOS who say marijuana helped with their IR. It's also been linked to lower rates of Type II Diabetes, as well as generally lower body weights. I didn't really think much of it before, but I used to smoke almost daily, and didn't start actually putting on weight until I stopped smoking.

However, for those with thyroid problems, marijuana may actually overstress your adrenals and cause more problems. I'm sure those on thyroid medication who only smoke occasionally will be fine, but anyone with severe thyroid problems should NOT take up daily smoking.

[Babakins]

I take ACV in water and drink it down, I actually like the taste LOL. I worry about the acid on the enamel.

*rolls a big fat cheroot

[hopefulgrowing]

I take ACV in water and drink it down, I actually like the taste LOL. I worry about the acid on the enamel.

*rolls a big fat cheroot

Drink the diluted ACV with a straw so it does not touch your teeth then you wont have to worry about enamel erosion

[Babakins]

Thanks hopeful! I don't use straws as the puckering creates mouth wrinkles! I am 39 so got to watch out for those now!! LOL!

[Doll]

Lol I hate the taste (I think mostly because the smell reminds me of feet! >.<), so taking shots is just the easiest for me. Shots also help protect the tooth enamel, as well as your esophagus. ACV pills should be avoided at all cost, because if they get stuck in your throat and start to disintegrate there, it WILL do a lot of damage to your esophagus.

I hate having to take this at every meal, but I feel like it may definitely be helping slowly. I also hate the ALA pills, because I tend to forget to take them some days. >.<

But onward I go! I'm already out of my first 16oz bottle, so I went out and bought a 32oz of Bragg's instead of Vita Shoppe. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks slightly different, so maybe it'll taste different.

[Doll]

...The more I use Bragg's ACV, the more I realize how awful it is. Vitamin Shoppe brand has such a smoother taste to it! Bragg's is so harsh!