The Dietary Causes of Insulin Resistance
A short course that everyone must know. We have all been taught to eat in a way that gradually wears out our ability to properly turn food into energy. The kind of food we usually eat turns very quickly into glucose (blood sugar). This spikes our blood-sugar way above normal levels. High levels of glucose are toxic to the body. It damages blood vessels and nerves and just about everything else it comes in contact with. Every time this happens, the body releases a flood of insulin to get the glucose into cells and out of the blood stream as fast as possible. Insulin is the key that unlocks the cell door so glucose can enter and be used as fuel. The average American daily eating habits causes glucose spikes like this:
The spike in blood–sugar way above normal after each high glycemic meal or snack causes a flood of insulin. This much insulin – way above normal levels – creates a crash in blood sugar, leading to another “panic situation” in the body. At way below normal levels of blood-sugar, you generate a “starvation response”. This causes you to crave food that turns rapidly into glucose- We call these Fastcarbs©. Now you understand that mid morning donut craving. We have even institutionalized this spike-crash-crave cycle with *mid morning snack* in schools, and coffee breaks in the office.
This crash also causes a release of the stress hormone cortisol – which raises your blood pressure and prepares your body to deal with this false emergency. Cortisol also scavenges connective tissue from your joints in order to convert them into glucose – because you are *starving*. This increases inflammation and is the genesis of arthritis.
There are two very important things to know about this endless spiking of your glucose and insulin levels. First, as cells are repeatedly doused with abnormally high levels of insulin, they gradually begin to resist its effects. Cells stop opening effectively to take in glucose. This means there is too much glucose circulating in the blood, where it damages your blood vessels, nerves, organs and connective tissue. It also means your cells are starving for fuel to turn onto energy. Now you understand couch potato syndrome. It is an aspect of insulin resistance.
Insulin has a back-up function when opening cells does not reduce damaging levels of glucose in the blood stream. It triggers the mechanism to sweep the glucose out the blood and store it as fat around your middle. Everyone who has belly fat is insulin resistant. We have a name for someone who becomes totally insulin resistant – a Type II Diabetic.
Second, your brain loves glucose. It is the glucose furnace of the body. The more you feed it, the happier it is. It becomes very dependent on the regular high spikes in glucose just like you are addicted. You behave like you are addicted to a high-glycemic diet. The cravings you have for high glycemic food and drink are real, physical, and overwhelming. This is why so many efforts at dieting fail, or people yo-yo diet.
ActuWell Therapeutic Nutrition (ATN) is the most powerful meal replacement available to the public specifically to reverse the effects of insulin resistance.