Is Insulin Resistance Effecting your Health?

MillsRiver Family ChiropracticDrs Tom and Laura Gross

Do you have an “apple shaped” body or have trouble eliminating pounds?Do you feel tired after you eat, often feel ravenously hungry, feel light headed, dizzy or headachy if you skip or delay meals, wake up starving after having a large meal the night before. Do you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or triglycerides?You may have already developed an often overlooked disease estimated to effect one in three Americans.The disease which can cause these symptoms is called Insulin resistance or Syndrome X.

Eating refined carbohydrates year after year causes insulin levels to remain chronically high.Over time the cells become desensitized or resistant to insulin like the towns people in the childhood story The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf.If the cells begin to ignore insulin then more and more of the glucose stays in the blood instead of getting into the cells. Excess glucose causes extreme amounts of free radicals to be generated.Free radicals are dangerous molecules that multiply themselves exponentially as they damage everything in their path with a roaming electron.It is the free radicals that damage the cholesterol and blood vessels, increasing aging and the risks for diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer.

Research into Insulin Resistance actually began over thirty years ago with Stanford Medical School endocrinologist Gerald Reaven who investigated how fast different kinds of carbohydrates release a sugar called glucose into the stomach.Twenty years ago David Jenkins ranked many different foods in a 100 point scale where glucose ranked 100 points.This research together with the efforts of many others over the years has lead to what is now called the Glycemic Index.The Glycemic Index allows a person to know how fast a particular food is going to release it’s sugar content.Many studies have shown frequent or long term exposure to high blood sugar (glucose) may cause or worsen Insulin Resistance. In 1988 Dr. Reaven first defined syndrome X which linked high blood pressure, high triglycerides and bad cholesterol with Insulin Resistance.Today, Insulin Resistance has been shown to increase the risk for Diabetes Type II, Heart disease, Atherosclerosis, Obesity and even Cancer.

PRAISE GOD, THERE IS HOPE!1 Corinthians 19-20reminds us that our body is not our own but was bought with a price and should be kept up in such a way as to honor God.Although genetics has been shown to be a risk factor in Insulin Resistance it seems that obesity, a sedentary lifestyle (lazy), overeating carbohydrates, drinking alcohol, skipping meals and binging (overeating) all seem to be major contributors if not the cause of this menacing condition in many if not most people.The good news is that eating right, taking vitamins and minerals and exercise can prevent or eventually cure Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance.

Regular exercise helps to burn the excess glucose and re-sensitize the cells to insulin.Many researchers have shown that eating foods low in the glycemic index can help reduce insulin resistance.For example, corn and rice release their sugar more slowly than a baked potato or white bread.The Glycemic Index can be very helpful but the bottom line is to get rid of the excess fat, stop binge overeating, reduce carbohydrate consumption (especially starches and sugars) and exercise regularly.Various supplements have been shown to help re-sensitize people to their insulin.Most importantly the free radicals must go.Antioxidants help eliminate free radicals.High quality Vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) are very helpful.ALA, conjugated linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) and whey protein have all been shown to help re-sensitize insulin receptors and correct insulin resistance.

At Mills River Family Chiropractic we test for evidence of Insulin Resistance and free radical activity.We test biochemical pathways line by line to detect and correct errors which may contribute to these disorders and we provide personalized recommendations to facilitate the most complete healing by getting to the cause of disease, not just the symptom.Please contact us if you feel you or someone you love may need help with these or other health concerns. We may be reached for an appointment at 828-891-8868.