Insulin Resistance: A Culprit In Today's Health Crisis

You may have heard of insulin, but do you really know all of its functions in the body and what insulin resistance is doing to you?

Insulin: An anabolic hormone for growth and repair.

Insulin:

• Stores excess nutrients
• Stores blood sugar for future energy requirments
• Stores Magnesium
• Retains Sodium
• Mediates blood lipids (fat)
• Stimulates cell division
• Stimulates sympathetic nervous system

You may be saying, so what, insulin does all these great things, what's the big deal? Here's the problem.

When we eat carbohydrates (sugar, pasta, bread, grains) the body converts them into glucose. The liver only stores about a one day supply of glucose (stored as glycogen). What do you think happens to the rest of it? It's stored as FAT (about 98% is Palmitic acid---a saturated fat).

SORRY TO GET SO TECHNICAL

So, a high carbohydrate diet is really a high glucose (SUGAR) diet. Insulin needs to be secreted to help store this added glucose and there is a large secretion of insulin. However, the cells try to protect themselves from the toxic effects of insulin (which in large amounts is irritating to the cells) and they down regulate their receptors and the number of receptors.

When this happens, the pancreas secretes more and more insulin because the receptors aren't sensing that there is so much insulin circulating in the blood. Finally the pancreas gets tired and Type 2 Diabetes can result.

Negative Affects of Insulin Resistance

Now that you understand why so much insulin is secreted due to our diets, I want you to understand the negative affects of insulin resistance, so that YOU will resist from eating so many carbohydrates in the form of pasta, donuts, muffins, cake, bread, sugar, cereal, etc.

Insulin is involved in the storage of magnesium. When the cells are resistant to insulin, magnesium is secreted in the urine. One of magnesiums major jobs is to relax muscles. With lower magnesium levels the smooth muscles in the blood vessels can't relax and they constrict, causing--high blood pressure.

To add insult to injury, magnesium also is involved in intracellular energy, so you also feel weaker and tired all the time.

Insulin is also involved in sodium retention. With the added sodium, you get fluid retention and you guessed it, yet higher blood pressure.

Insulin also stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and you get further vasoconstriction (higher blood pressure), increased heart rate, increase in ability for blood to clot, increased respiration and an increase in blood sugar and cholesterol in the blood.

Since insulin is a mytogenic hormone, you also get increased cell division, which leads to increase in cancer and aging.

There is so much more insulin does, but I think you are getting the idea by now.

There Are Things You Can Do

Doesn't it sound like many of the medications you or your family and friends are on are designed to reduce the effects of insulin resistance?

Think of these: Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, cancer.

These are all preventable illnesses that have nothing to do with our genetics. It's our lifestyle that is killing us. There is hope if you begin now to change your lifestyle.

You must eat right, exercise right and think right to be a healthy human being. It is easier than you think. It's a lot harder to be sick than healthy.

Begin by:

• Drinking 2-3 liters of pure water each day
• Stop Smoking
• Eat fresh fiber throughout the day---veggies, fruit
• Limit your intake of sugar and other carbohydrates
• Eat Grass Fed Meats---high in Omega 3's...nothing wrong with good fat
• Take Cinnamon Bark or GTF Chromium to help lower your blood sugar
• Exercise 30-60 minutes EVERY DAY...you must get your heart rate up
• Meditate or Pray Daily.
• Love yourself, and your friends, family and the planet.

If you are not physically fit, you should always discuss with your doctor before beginning exercise or changing your medication.

More information on Diabetes Remedies...

The Unrecognized Disease: Insulin Resistance

Before discussing what insulin resistance is, it might be useful to explain exactly what insulin is, because there is a very low awareness among most people about this hormone. We hear the term "insulin-dependent diabetes," but we don't really know what insulin is.

The hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, helps the body use glucose, or blood sugar. Insulin binds with receptors on cells, much like a key fitting a lock. Insulin resistance is a condition where, to continue the metaphor, the doors have too many locks. The cells cannot accept the insulin.

When the insulin is not accepted by the cells, the pancreas secretes more insulin to maintain healthy blood sugar. The more insulin resistance, the more insulin the body creates. In about 1/3 of the people with insulin resistance, when the cells do not respond to the higher levels of insulin, glucose builds up in the blood. This high blood glucose is known as Type 2 Diabetes, and is a direct result of insulin resistance.

Not everyone with insulin resistance develops diabetes, and researchers have not discovered what causes some individuals to develop the disease while others do not.

However, the risk of diabetes is clearly high for those with insulin resistance.

While insulin resistance is still not widely known, it is becoming more recognized as more people in the U.S. become obese and/or physically inactive, and this is being reported more by news organizations and healthcare agencies.

Obese/physically inactive people are more likely to be insulin resistant, which can lead to an increased level of blood fat, or triglycerides, and a decrease in HDL, which is the good cholesterol. These two imbalances can increase the risk for heart disease.

Thus, insulin resistance can directly influence heart health, and that has become a focus for health reporting.

Another problem related to insulin resistance is Syndrome X, a collection of risk factors for heart disease, including hypertriglyceridmia (high blood lipid), low HDL-cholesterol, hyperinsulinemia (high blood insulin), and often hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and hypertension (high blood sugar). All of these conditions are influenced by insulin resistance and the group together poses a high risk for heart disease.

Insulin resistance is present in almost all individuals with Type 2 diabetes and in many with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Women with polycystic ovarian disorder are generally insulin resistant. About 20-25% of "healthy" people may actually be insulin resistant.

There are natural treatments which can greatly decrease insulin resistance and the health risks that go along with being insulin resistant.

Vitamin E improves glucose metabolism and insulin absorption.

Chromium lowers glucose levels as well as cholesterol levels, and is best taken as chromium picolinate.

The B Vitamins, especially B6 and B12, and folic acid, help prevent complications in those with diabetes.

Magnesium deficiency is one of the most common health problems, and since diabetics especially do not absorb magnesium well, this supplement is recommended for anyone at risk for diabetes.

Lipoic acid, which is a powerful antioxidant, also improves insulin sensitivity and is a must for anyone with insulin deficiency.

Vanadium is believed by some experts to be the most important supplement for insulin resistance. It activates the insulin receptors in the same way insulin does, and can effectively lower glucose levels.

American ginseng, in recent studies, has been proven to prevent the spike in blood sugar that follows a meal.

Because many diabetics are deficient in the hormone DHEA, fish oil has been found useful in blood sugar control.

Supplements, a healthy diet, and regular exercise can greatly increase overall health and reduce insulin resistance, also reducing the risks of diabetes and heart disease.

Nutrasweet-Not So Sweet After All

While sugar is often seen as "bad" these days, and aspartame as "good"-- it is useful to look at the real facts surrounding this food additive.

It is also useful to point out that sugar, after all, is a natural substance, one that our bodies know how to deal with. Rather than substituting another, chemical, substance for sugar, it might be far better to limit our sugar intake and improve our overall diets to make better use of the natural foods available to us.

It is not well-known that aspartame, which may also appear on food labels as "acesulfame-k" or "sunette" can cause a variety of health symptoms, including:

• seizures and convulsions
• dizziness
• tremors
• migraines and severe headaches
• memory loss (common toxicity effects)
• slurring of speech
• confusion
• numbness or tingling of extremities
• chronic fatigue
• depression
• insomnia
• irritability
• panic attacks (common aspartame toxicity reaction)
• marked personality changes
• phobias
• rapid heart beat, tachycardia (another frequent reaction)
• asthma
• chest pains
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
• abdominal pain
• swallowing pain
• itching
• hives / urticaria
• other allergic reactions
• blood sugar control problems (e.g., hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia)
• menstrual cramps and other menstrual problems or changes
• impotency and sexual problems
• food cravings
• weight gain
• hair loss / baldness or thinning of hair
• burning urination & other urination problems
• excessive thirst or excessive hunger
• bloating, edema (fluid retention)
• infection susceptibility
• joint pain

Aspartame disease, or chronic aspartame intake, can also mimic many serious illnesses, including:

• fibromyalgia
• arthritis
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson’s disease
• lupus
• multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS)
• diabetes and diabetic Complications
• epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s disease
• birth defects
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• lymphoma
• Lyme disease
• attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD)
• panic disorder
• depression and other psychological disorders
  

While aspartame seems safe, and while many organizations promote its safety, most of these organizations are in some way sponsored by or related to the companies that manufacture and use aspartame.

The best way to know the truth about aspartame is to get completely off of all aspartame products for at least 60 days, and measure the positive difference in your health and well-being at that point.

When you're avoiding aspartame, make sure you read labels carefully, because even items you would not expect to have aspartame in them may contain this substance. Almost any "light" or "diet" food, from soda to salad dressing, is a good candidate for aspartame and should be avoided.

Remember, rather than trying to avoid sugar by substituting aspartame, try eating more natural fruits and vegetables and less processed food. This is the best way to avoid aspartame and other harmful substances.

Once you've been off of aspartame for 60 days, if you're still not convinced of the health effects, try going back on it for 10 days and see how you feel then. You'll see a marked difference after just a short time of going back on aspartame.

If you are a diabetic and wish to balance your sugar levels naturally, go to our Blood Sugar Formulas to read more about various all natural products that can help you.

We recommend, NEVER using NutraSweet. It is a poison and neural toxin.

Diabetes Kills 3 Million People Each Year

Diabetes is causing 3.2 million deaths per year worldwide, a figure three times higher than previous estimates, according to the World Health Organization. There were 171 million cases of diabetes worldwide in 2000, a figure expected to rise to 366 million by 2030. In developing countries, at least one in ten deaths in adults aged 35 to 64 is attributable to diabetes.

Diabetes is a major cause of premature illness and death in most countries, mainly through the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The disease can be combated by healthy diet and physical activity, often combined with medication. Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90 percent of all cases, can often be prevented through lifestyle interventions including proper supplementation. Visit Natural Diabetic Remedies for more specific information about different supplements to help with Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes May Shorten Lifespan
Canadian researchers have found diabetics die up to 13 years sooner than people without the disease. This travesty could be avoided with proper nutrition and supplementation. The University of Toronto team says diabetic males in Ontario live 64.7 years on average, compared to 77.5 years in the general male population. Diabetic females live an average of 70.7 years, compared to 82.9 years for all females. A sad fact when much of the premature death is avoidable.

Diabetics Neglect Own Health
Less than 12 percent of people with diagnosed diabetes meet their recommended treatment goals, according to Washington's American Medical Association. More diabetics are taking medicine for high blood pressure and cholesterol than for controlling their diabetes. Unfortunately, too few are making needed lifestyle changes such as exercising, lowering dietary fat, and losing weight to control the risk factors for diabetes complications.

Cinnamon May Cut Blood Sugar Levels
A half teaspoon of cinnamon a day can reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics, according to a study by the Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Md. In a study published in Diabetes Care, volunteers taking cinnamon also had lowered blood levels of fats and "bad" cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin.

It is obviously not advisable to increase the consumption of cinnamon buns or apple pie because they are high in fat and sugar. Probably the best way to assure daily dosage with cinnamon is with supplementation. Cinnamon Bark Capsules. In addition, soaking a cinnamon stick in a cup of tea or sprinkling some cinnamon on cereal could be beneficial. In addition, natural diabetes supplement is Vaxa Diabin.

The active ingredient in cinnamon that lowers blood sugar is the water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP which mimics insulin, activates its receptor and works synergistically with insulin in cells.

Read Here for More Natural Diabetes Information...