Tips on Preventing Insulin Resistance

Hi everyone!

It's Saturday! That means you get to learn about what you can do to prevent insulin resistance. It also means it's the weekend, and that's fantastic in itself.

I've gone back and forth with myself about how to present this information today. It could be pretty complex, but I don't like that, and I bet you don't either. So here's what we've got.. A list of a few things you can start doing (or working toward) today!

But first- what is a carbohydrate? I know you wanted to ask, so I will save you the trouble.

• grains, rice, cereals, breads, fruit, sugar, milk, cheese, yogurt 
• starchy vegetables
• potatoes, corn, beans, peas, some lentils

An ideal pasta meal 

1. Stay away from (frequent) large servings of carbohydrates. I will qualify this. A large bowl of pasta- like 2 cups or 4 cups, whatever Macaroni Grill or your husband, wife, (you?, never.) decides to serve you, is not an appropriate serving.

Rather, have your pasta, rice, cereal in a moderate amount (probably about half a cup to a cup) and then add lots of non-starchy vegetables to your plate and a protein choice- like chicken, beef, pork- whatever tickles your fancy.

Restructuring your idea of what a plate should look like is absolutely essential to your wellness.

2. Limit sugary drinks. Beverages with a lot of sugar make your blood sugar rise really fast, and that triggers a quick insulin response. Instead, do non-sugar beverages. Drinks that fall into the sugary beverages category include juice, even 100% fruit juice (its okay to have it sometimes, but 4 oz. is the serving size), sodas, sweet tea, heavily sweetened coffee beverages, smoothies, etc.

Remember, it's not necessary for your to omit all of these completely things from your diet, just be mindful of how often and how much you're drinking.

3. Add protein and vegetables to each meal. Protein and fiber (in vegetables) slow down how fast your food moves from your stomach into your GI tract. That's good, because if food is moving slowly, you're not as hungry, and your insulin response is more gradual versus a big spike right after eating.

Restructure your plate!

4. Everything in moderation. This one's no secret. Having birthday cake, brownies, a Mr. Goodbar (I don't think I have ever seen someone eat one of those) every day is clearly not a good choice. Be mindful of the last time you had a treat, and when it's someone's birthday or it's just a great day to have dessert- enjoy your dessert in a non-Texas-sized way and move on.

These are general guidelines you can follow to begin eating a more healthful, balanced diet. It is important to live a preventative lifestyle for your future health, but also so you feel well now. Remember, insulin resistance can lead to diabetes, and it is one of the factors involved in Metabolic Syndrome.

If you have more questions or want more details about insulin resistance or diabetes, please don't hesitate to ask!

Until next time,

Sarah

Insulin Resistance-- Heard of it?

Hi there friends,

I apologize for the few times I have missed blogging in the past couple of weeks. Studying for the dietetic registration exam has me wanting to stay as far away from a computer (and a chair) as possible! I hope you didn't miss me too badly.

Today I want to delve into one of my favorite subjects, which you've already discovered from the title, is insulin resistance. If you've read even half of my tidbits on facebook and some of my blogs here, I am sure you've seen me mention it a few times. That is because it is a growing problem in our world today.

So for today's post I am going to describe to you, in short, what insulin resistance is, and why you should mind your P's and Q's to stay far, far away from this condition.

Before we can talk about insulin resistance, you need to know what insulin is. I bet most of you know that insulin has to do with diabetes. That's true. But it has to do with other things, too. Insulin is a hormone found naturally in our bodies that help energy/fuel/carbohydrates (these can be used interchangeably here) get into all of our tiny little cells to undergo chemical reactions that provide our bodies' energy source. So if you put 1 and 2 together there, you'll understand that without insulin, your body's energy-making warehouses (cells) have no means to create the energy you need to think, move, eat, work, you name it. That's pretty serious, huh? It really is.

So why do you hear so much about it with diabetes? I will tell you. It is because diabetes is a disease that occurs when there is either no insulin produced by the body or not enough insulin produced by the body. Therefore, people with diabetes have to take what's called exogenous (outside the body) insulin so those carbohydrates can get into the energy warehouses (once again, the cells of the body). Without this process, your body cannot function efficiently, and eventually, you could die.

So what is the resistance part? It's a little complex- but here's how I like to explain it. Westernized diets (that's us, guys) are really high in foods that are very starchy and sugary. That means it has a lot of carbohydrates. Your body's insulin response is in relation to how many carbs you've eaten. So if you've just eaten a steak- you won't have nearly as much as if you've just eaten a whole pot of mashed potatoes. When your body continually excretes lots and lots of insulin like it does when you've eaten a really starchy or sugary meal, your cells become resistant to insulin. That is, there's so much insulin floating around in your blood so often that your cells just get used to it, and it takes more and more insulin to get the job done. That's an issue.

This condition, along with others, can put anyone directly on the fast track to type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which case, you're introduced to the ol' needle and carbohydrate counting. The good news is, this condition, like so many others, is preventable. The other good news is, if you already have diabetes, there are still ways to control and lessen insulin resistance. So fret not, my faithful readers. 'Cause all it takes is a little know-how and can-do to keep yourself out of the muddy waters of many chronic diseases.

Since this post is pretty wordy, I am saving how to prevent insulin resistance for Saturday's post. But I will leave you with this very important tip: carbohydrates aren't bad. They don't make you fat, and they won't give you diabetes. They're our bodies' fuel! So don't swear off carbs til Saturday (or after that, either) Deal??

Meet me here Saturday for the details, and leave your questions!

Sarah

Metabolic Syndrome: Something Worth Changing

Hello, hello, and happy Wednesday!

It's raining here,  and I'm glad. We needed it. Maybe it'll drown out all the stupid grasshoppers we've been fighting this summer. They need to stop jumping on me.

As I was studying today, I ran across a review of what's known as Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X. It's a syndrome that a lot of Americans have these days, and may not even know it. If you do have Metabolic Syndrome, you are a greater risk for Coronary Artery Disease, stroke, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Basically- if you have three or more of the following diagnoses or risk factors (all of which are related to insulin resistance), it is Metabolic Syndrome:
- high blood pressure
- high blood sugar
- ≥ 40 inch waist circumference (male); ≥ 35     inch waist circumference (women)
- high cholesterol
- high triglycerides
- low HDL (good) cholesterol


So what should you do??

Since almost all of these risk factors can be controlled with lifestyle changes, that's what you should do! Begin planning your life and your meals to reverse the damage that's already taken place in your body. That's right, folks. Making small, lasting changes until you've got a grade-A diet can help reverse your risk of CAD, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and many other illnesses and diseases. Start with something small and manageable like increasing your vegetable intake to 3-4 servings a day. Then keep coming back to this blog and go to other credible wellness sources to continue building a healthful life!