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