Suicide by Sugar by Nancy Appleton;G. N. Jacobs

Author:Nancy Appleton;G. N. Jacobs [Jacobs, Nancy Appleton;G. N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2009-05-06T09:00:00+00:00

Insulin Resistance

Some of the metabolic syndrome symptoms have been discussed already, but let's take a minute to define the biggie-insulin resistance. Years of high refined dietary carbohydrate intake (especially in genetically-predisposed individuals) stress insulin receptors which, in turn, malfunction.

There are other factors that contribute to becoming insulin-resistant, as well. Smoking is one of them. Smoking cigarettes increases insulin resistance and worsens the health consequences of metabolic syndrome. If you smoke, add this to the list of reasons why you should quit.24

In a person with normal metabolism, insulin is released from the pancreas after eating sugar and signals insulin-sensitive muscle and fat tissues in the body. The muscle and fat tissues absorb the sugar to lower the blood glucose to a normal level. This brings the glucose level back to homeostasis.

In an insulin-resistant person, however, normal levels of insulin do not trigger the signal for glucose absorption by muscle and fat cells. To compensate for this, an insulin-resistant individual's pancreas releases much more insulin than it should so that the cells can absorb the glucose. Higher levels of insulin can often control blood glucose levels adequately, at least for a while. This resistance can take place with both the body's own insulin and through insulin injection.

Other lesser-known effects of insulin have recently come into play. They include:

• Elevated C-reactive protein, which indicates inflammation.

• Elevated serum triglycerides.

• Enhanced synthesis of cholesterol, thus raising the cholesterol level in the bloodstream.

• Encouraging storage rather than burning of fat, thus leading to obesity.

• High insulin levels.

• Increasing secretion of norepinephrine, which can increase blood pressure and pulse rate.

• Increasing the tendency to form blood clots.25

• Leading to glycation, which is when glucose binds with protein non-enzymatically and can lead to cataracts, wrinkles, and other problems.

• Lowering your levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which increases the risk of heart disease.

• Raising the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the bloodstream, which increases the risk of vascular disease.

• Retaining sodium (salt), resulting in a subsequent rise in blood pressure.

• Stimulating your brain and liver to make you hungry and manufacture fat.

• Thickening arterial walls, which makes blood vessels more stiff, leading to increased blood pressure and increased risk of vascular disease.

• Type-2 diabetes.

• Upsetting hormonal balance. Hormones work in relation to one another, so when one of them increases or decreases, others secrete more of their hormone in order to maintain homeostasis. Insulin goes first, since that is the hormone food comes into contact with first. Thyroid is affected next, followed by pituitary glands, and then the adrenal gland.

High insulin levels can lead to obesity, as noted in the list. Elevated insulin levels have also been called "diabesity," because of the common link between type-2 diabetes and obesity.26 The problem is worldwide, reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and many developing countries like China and India.27,28,29 Domestically, incidences of type-2 diabetes rose 765 percent from 1935 to 1966.30 Worldwide rates are expected to rise 46 percent by 2010, from 150 million to 221 million cases 31

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