How Are Insulin Problems Related to Fibromyalgia?

As you likely know, there are a number of different things that are related to fibromyalgia.

One of the most prominent issues that people are dealing with is weight gain. What issues come with weight gain? How does insulin play a role in the whole thing? And what can we do in order to keep everything in balance and under control?

We’re going to take a quick look at all of this these in this article so that we can better understand why this is an important topic for everyone struggling with the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Insulin and Weight Gain

Weight gain and fibromyalgia are incredibly related and intertwined. It’s pretty fair to say that they are so linked that most cases of a weight gain are, in some way, related to an issue with the insulin somewhere.

That being said, why does this happen? If you didn’t already know, insulin is what allows the glucose (sugar) in your body to get into your cells.

The glucose is supposed to leave your bloodstream and go into your cells. In some cases, that doesn’t happen; whether it’s because of an insulin deficiency or because you are eating more glucose than your body is able to use at a time.

When there is extra glucose, it gets stored as fat, thus causing the person to gain a sufficient amount of weight.

This is why it’s so important for those with insulin problems (specifically, diabetes) to make sure that their blood sugar is under control on a regular basis.

Weight Gain, Insulin, and Fibromyalgia

Weight gain is incredibly common in people with fibromyalgia. Why? Fibromyalgia is all about the pain and sensations that you are feeling.

It can be very painful and very frustrating to deal with. You are also very exhausted, which makes it hard for you to move around a lot.

If you aren’t moving as much as you should be, then you’re going to gain a lot of weight and you’re going to end up with more pain.

You may also be tempted to eat more to try and deal with some of the common mental health issues that are often linked with fibromyalgia.

Add on top of that, that you may be struggling with other physical health problems as well, and you’ve got the perfect storm for gaining weight and keeping it on for the long term.

Then, let’s throw the insulin in all of this. As we discussed above, insulin plays a huge role in the body’s development of glucose.

If our body’s systems are already struggling and we aren’t able to keep our weight loss under control, insulin is probably part of the problem, somewhere.

Insulin also plays into how much salt and water we retain in our bodies, which causes more of our body’s systems to go out of whack.

In short, if we aren’t keeping track of our weight and insulin levels, we’re going to end up having a lot of issues.

That being said, you have to get weight gain under control when you’re fighting fibromyalgia. The extra weight on your body makes it harder to move around, thus making the cycle continue again and again.

On top of that, it’s also difficult for you to keep your other health issues in check. The common heart problems and anxiety issues that may occur with the fibromyalgia will likely get worse because you just aren’t able to cope with them in a healthy way.

In short, it can be incredibly frustrating and upsetting if you don’t take care of your weight in a quick and effective manner.

What Can Be Done?

The good news is, there are a lot of things that we can do in order to try and drop weight.

By dropping weight and keeping our insulin levels under control, we will find that it’s much easier to deal with our fibromyalgia symptoms, even on days that we are fighting off flare-ups.

Here are some tips that you can follow in order to try and keep your weight under control.

Work with a nutritionist in order to set up a diet plan that is right for you and your particular needs. They can give you tips and tricks that you can use to help you lose weight effectively.

Working with a physical therapist can have multiple benefits. If your pain is unbearable, you will be able to get some exercise in any way, which will help you reduce weight and stress. On top of that, it can also help with your flexibility.

Keep track of what you’re eating in a day. How many times do you end up at the fridge? What are you eating?

Do little things to keep in motion. Even if it’s just getting up out of your chair and walking around your house a couple of times, that’s a lot better than not moving at all. Every little bit helps.

Avoid eating out if you can. The food that you make at home is going to taste a lot better, and it’s going to have a lot less junk in it, which will help to keep your weight off.

Check out this list of foods in order to see what changes you can make to your diet.

Not only are the foods listed here good for you, but they can also help reduce some of the other fibromyalgia symptoms that you are trying to fend off as well. And it’s always good to get multiple benefits out of one treatment!

Weight gain can really do quite a number on your body if you aren’t careful about it.  Your fibromyalgia symptoms can get much worse if you don’t keep your insulin levels and your weight under control.

If your diet seems to be a problem, or you need some help figuring out the right routine for your needs, consult your doctor as soon as you can.

They can help you figure out the best ways to deal with the pain and stress of your fibromyalgia.

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References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/insulin-and-weight-gain/art-20047836

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/effects-of-insulin-sensitivity-on-weight-gain-with

http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/fibromyalgia-254946-5.html

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