Insulin...and how it could be affecting your health

Have you ever heard of a vicious circle? Well, that's what this post is about. Insulin, the hormone that our bodies use to remove excess sugar(glucose) from the blood stream is also very influential concerning fat storage, hunger, and damage to our bodies.

Many overweight individuals even have an insulin disorder called "insulin resistance". It is estimated that as many as 1 in 4 Americans are insulin resistant.

This means, that as they eat more and more sugar (refined carbs, bread, anything that causes blood sugar to go up) their bodies becomes less and less responsive to remove the same amount of sugar from the blood stream. SO the body has to release MORE and MORE insulin to remove the same amount of sugar. Hypothetically, it could take a 25 year old drinking a coke twice as much insulin to remove the sugar as it would a 12 year old drinking the same size coke. And a 50 year old, twice as much insulin as a 25 year old. (We're focusing more on principles here, not actual amounts), but this is a primary reason you don't burn calories like you did when you were young, and why your metabolism seems to have crawled to a snail's pace.

Why does this matter?

It matters because insulin is a storage hormone. It tells your body to store excess blood sugar (if you aren't active enough to burn it off). You can either store it as glycogen in your muscles and liver, or it goes on a fast track to being a FAT cell. And you can't store much glycogen at any one time, so most excess sugar will be stored as a fat cell (especially if you are inactive).

The circle part I mentioned above is that insulin also triggers hunger. Have you ever gorged yourself on Chinese food, only to be starving within a couple of hours? You think it is IMPOSSIBLE that it is time to eat again, and yet you are starving. That is insulin sending all these signals throughout your body. What is Chinese food full of: Rice, sugary sauces, and things that are deep fried -egg rolls, sweet and sour pork, fried dough covered in sugar. It's a diabetics nightmare, and it should be yours too.

But why does it "make you hungry?" Well, when you eat all that "sugar" in it's many forms, your blood gets a higher concentration of glucose than it needs to survive, so it release insulin to get kick it out. But oftentimes, it over-corrects and releases more insulin than needed to bring it back in balance.

-Here is a brief blog entry over at the Heart Scan Blag by Dr. William Davis
- http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/quieting-insulin-storm.html

Now the see-saw has gone all the way over to the wrong direction and you have low blood sugar. This is characterized by being very sleepy, you may not think clearly, sometimes you will have a headache, and oftentimes you will crave something sweet. (This may characterize your mid-afternoon at the office. Think about it the next time you complain of needing some coffee to wake up around 3:00p.m.)

Why does your body do this to you, you may ask.

Well, it's simple, your body is trying to tell you to bring your blood sugar back up to be in balance.

But WAIT! There's more.....

You see, because while your body is riding this roller coaster of high/low blood sugar:

"Our blood sugar is too high........... release the insulin............. no, that's too much, now we've got low blood sugar......................do something! Eat something sweet...............No wait! That's too sweet.................. release more insulin..............No that's too much...........we've got low blood sugar................... now eat something sweet....."

You are releasing signals that tell your body to STORE...STORE...STORE!

If you'll notice the theme above, there is always MORE INSULIN being pumped out by your pancreas to correct the blood sugar imbalance..... and we've already established that a "high insulin environment" tells your body to store excess energy as fat. So is it any wonder that you can't lose any weight when your food selections are constantly telling your body to store more fat?

Our collective pancreas is wearing out and Type II Diabetes is at an all time high? All this insulin is aging our bodies prematurely.

Here is an in depth website that discusses some of the damage that insulin disorders can do to our bodies elevating your risk of disease.
http://www.lammd.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/insulin_and_aging.cfm

Symptoms of Metabollic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance
Abdominal fat – in men this means a 40 inch waist or larger, in women 35 inches or larger
High blood sugar levels – at least 110 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) after fasting
High triglycerides – at least 150 mg/dL in the blood stream
High LDL "bad" cholesterol
Low HDL "good" cholesterol – less than 40 mg/dL
High Blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher

The good news is that it IS reversible (maybe even without medication)
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Prevent-Insulin-Resistance-With-Atkins-Diet-Menu/140608

Here is an article that goes into some of the ways that a low carb lifestyle will help to reverse the damage that we have done to our bodies from overloading our pancreas all these years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZHgGYKCnNc

Jimmy even blogged about some dietary changes that helped his wife reverse some of her negative health indicators.

Biography Channel - Dr. Robert Atkins

http://www.lowcarbshow.com/home/

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d1VtD_GQbE&feature=related

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNfqUohll4g&feature=related

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG8iRaxH5lI&feature=related

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUfVTJ5VMxc&feature=related

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2lWpKLNrnI&feature=related


In case you haven't figured out, Youtube is an excellent resource for information on low carb. Simply type it in, and see what comes up. This is a video that appeared on the Biography Channel.

Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution - Induction

http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com/showthread.php?tid=64

Here is a post from the Livin La Vida Low Carb Message Board that has the guidelines for starting the Atkins diet. I'm sure that many of you have preconceptions that the Atkins diet is unhealthy, and you may have even come across some propaganda that Dr. Atkins was obese when he slipped and fell, ultimately causing his death. It is just that, propaganda.

Can you imagine how much money the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and diet industries would stand to lose if people ate in such a way that they didn't suffer from heart disease, diabetes, didn't get prescribed cholesterol lowering medication, and didn't need to join a gym and workout or buy diet products?

And many figures of authority truly think they are doing the right thing in demonizing the Atkins diet, because their exclusive belief is that dietary fat causes heart disease, so even tolerating the Atkins diet would constitute willfull genocide to them. Plus they don't want to be proven wrong. How foolish would that make them look?

Here is a video where Jimmy talks about the early stages of Atkins induction.
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2008/05/llvlc-on-youtube-episode-38-low-carb.html

No, the first 2 weeks aren't fun, and this is primarily what most comparison studies base their judgment of low carb lifestyle on. You will be weening your body off of glucose (sugar) - which your body was using for energy - and training your body to burn fat instead (you know, that fat tire you've got around your waistline, wouldn't it be nice to go away?) So it takes a little time, and you will have some headaches and low energy while you go through the induction "flu," but it is worth it, and you shouldn't feel that way after your body is adapted (roughly 2 weeks).

As always, this is not medical advice. Don't sue me. Do this under your doctor's supervision. Read the book to make certain you are eating the way that Dr. Atkins prescribed to his patients. I am simply sharing my story with you.

Gary Taubes brings the tablets from the Mount

Gary Taubes is a scientific journalist (not a diet guru), but he has had as big an impact on my life as anyone who has ever written a diet book. Starting with his New York TImes article "What if it's all been a big FAT lie?" he worked to examine where all of these old school diet recommendations came from (Low-fat, low cholesterol, etc...). Basically he investigates bad science, and exposes it.

His book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" is an indictment on the medical world's guidelines from the last 40 years, and is something everyone should read (it's just come out in paperback, but I bet you can find a used copy of the hardback on amazon or half.com)

Other website have compiled links of Gary Taubes works (Articles, videos, etc...) and I will link to thme so they can get the credit.

The Charlie Rose episode he appears in is very eye opening as it pairs him against Dean Ornish, one of the biggest proponents of a low fat lifestyle, and Ornish just looks silly.

He also appears on Larry King live, which is a very enjoyable segment (except for the part where the Jillian bitch from Biggest Loser gets on there and spouts her pious ignorance).

The most in depth video is a lecture from the University of California, and it last for close to an hour. If you aren't willing to read the book, at least watch some of these videos. You should get an understand of what the book contains, and may peak your interest to read it at a later time.

http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/GaryTaubesGoodCaloriesBadCalories


My only issue with his position is that when interviewed, he often talks about how "exercise" is not essential to be able to lose weight. Which is true, but many people misunderstand and think Taubes is trying to create a gimmick in order to sell books or make his position popular. What he is specifically talking about is extended aerobic exercise at the same pace (Think 60 minutes on a treadmill at the same manageable pace).

That is indeed counterproductive, and your body will begin to catabolize on itself after about 20 mintes of the above described exercise. A solution to this is called High Intensity Interval Training, which I will blog about at a later time, but HIIT is becoming very popular, and rightly so (it works). Here is a link that goes into more detail about what Taubes means about exercise,

http://keithconnectsthedots.com/2008/05/06/more-than-one-kind-of-exercise.aspx

Message Boards

The internet has connected people like never before. I listened to an audiobook a while back titled the "Wisdom of the Masses." It talks about how, contrary to belief, a large group of unbiased individuals who may not even realize they are furthering a cause, can in fact be better than a small group, or single individual, that is an expert in that field. I have come to realize that the internet has brought about the ultimate large group concerning any topic of interest.

I have posted/read Arkansas Razorback message boards for years, and have made lifelong friends from it, so it only made sense for me to check out low carb message boards for the best way to follow a low carb lifestyle. Two of the most helpful boards with the most educated posters are seen below.

http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com/

http://forums.menshealth.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/1991017124

http://forum.lowcarber.org/

If I ever have a question about something low carb, I can always find an answer here. The posters are even more passionate and connected than I am, so much of my understanding has come because of these forums. Check them out.

Crash Course

Much of what I am going to post will be from emails i have sent my friends before. The information below was sent to a friend that was going to be traveling for a week. She wanted to know what she could eat when out at a restaurant. Some of this will sound abrupt. I acknowledge that, but it was by design in this instance. I'm sure I will come back and edit some of these in the future to present a unified plan, but this is what you get in the meantime.


Don't eat or drink sugar
Don't eat bread or rice
Don't eat refined carbs/sugars
Flour is the devil
Ask to substitute any of the starchy side items (Potatoes, corn, beans) with green vegetables and/or a side salad
Don't order deep fried food that have been breaded -Stir fry is usually okay (thai, etc)
If ordering drinks, light beer is okay, as well as cocktails with diet mixers. (You probably won't lose weight if drinking, but it won't cause you to gain if drinking the above drinks.

Food encouraged to eat
Cheese (Hard cheeses are best, but Sour and Cream cheeses are okay in moderation
Stay away from Velveeta and processed cheeses like string cheese)
Kraft cheese cubes are the easiest way to portion how much cheese you are eating. 4 oz a day is okay (I am a little ashamed at how glad I am I found 1 store in the Houston area that stocks Extra Sharp Cheddar in the Kraft cubes - Rice Epicurean at Post Oak and San Felipe)

Meat (The fattier the better. I know it is counterintuitive, but trust me. If you aren't eating carbs with it, your body won't store that fat)
Dark chicken meat or breasts with the skin on
Any kind of steak. I prefer ribeye (Most fat and most flavor)
Seafood, shrimp, etc...
Try to stay away from sugary sauces and dips like cocktail sauce
Eggs (Scrambled, hard-boiled, omelettes, fritatas (open faced omelettes) Or plain ole fried
Leafy vegetables
Avocados (good omega 3 fats that help with brain chemistry and help to fight circulatory inflammation)
almonds (in moderation, about 25 is a good amount for 1 day. This will fit on a post it note) - also known for omega 3s
Cold Water Fish (Best source of omega 3s)

STAY AWAY FROM CANOLA OIL and other Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that are primarily Omega 6's
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is your best bet.
Palm oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil and other omega 3 oils are best.
stay away from margarine
Stay Away From Margarine
and did I mention
STAY AWAY FROM MARGARINE!

That is frankenfood that corrodes inside your body.Trans Fats is the fancy way of saying Partially Hydrogenated Oils. This stuff should be solid at room temp, but they mutate it into a liquid. You don't want to put that stuff into your body.

Butter is your Friend
Heavy Cream is your friend
Don't drink Milk. It is bad for us. Take a vitamin supplement that has Calcium Citrate if you are worried about it
Stay away from calcium carbonate when trying to get a calcium supplement ( the stuff in tums) your body only absorbs 10% of it.

Ignore everything you've ever heard about saturated fat being bad.

You want to eat every 3 or so hours, even if it is just a handful of almonds, or a few ounces of cheese. Eat within an hour of waking up That starts your metabolism again from its state of hibernation while sleeping. (When you stop eating at night is really irrelevant (unless you are eating sugary desserts-which you won't be)

Natural unsalted almonds are best because they won't make you as thirsty as the salted. Sometimes we interpret being thirsty as being hungry.

Green Tea is good, not carb related, but a good sustained source of caffeine that won't make you jittery, and has LOTS of antioxidants that fight free radicals (which corrode and damage vessels in your body)

Remain hydrated. You don't have to drink 10 glasses of water a day, BUT make sure you aren't thirsty.Drink more water if you drink diuretics like coffee or cokes that dehydrate your body.

FYI, each packet of splenda should be counted as 1g of carbs because of the dextrose (filler) they add to the packets so it mixes in the same quantities as sugar. Staying away from artificial sweeteners is best, but you've gotta live, so do so in moderation. It is probably okay to use when starting a low carb lifestyle simply because the other changes you make will drastically take the weight off, but you might consider eliminating it from your diet if you stall or hit a plateau.

Livin' La Vida Low Carb

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/

http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com/

If you haven't already visited the above blog, do so. It is a wealth of Low Carb knowledge. I applaud Jimmy for all the work he puts into his blog. He is the primary source of where I first "received the gospel." Much of what I post will be linked directly to him because he has done the work, and deserves all the credit.

Unfortunately he has SO many posts that the basic instructions my friends have been looking for to change their diets can get drowned out by some of his other posts.

Fat Head the Movie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WA5wcaHp4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgBLQIJEcbE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFQc2kxm9c&feature=related

Here are some clips from an upcoming documentary that I think is a quick overview of how many of the current heart health recommendations are flawed. The sooner you recognize that dietary fat (saturated or not) IS healthy for you, the sooner you will be on your way to "opening your eyes."

Mission Statement

It has been brought to my attention, that while I have come across a vast wealth of dietary knowledge in the past year, the individuals that I wish to delineate that knowledge to are not as interested in sifting through the junk I have to get to the point. I make no claims of anything I post here being my invention or discovery, and will do my best to give credit where credit is due (usually linking to other blogs). I'm sure the purpose of this blog will change numerous times while I work on it, but my original intent is to give clear, concise instructions and examples of how food has changed my life, and how it can change yours as well if you are so inclined. I will also do my best to post the research that led me to these dietary decisions. Anyone from my circle of friends can tell you that I have been somewhat of a crusader against sugar and most things carb since this time last year, and will never be able to go back to how I used to eat.

I am very proud of my friends and family that have made changes in their lifestyles and become healthier because of it. I hope that this blog can help more of my friends attain a healthier and happier lifestyle.