Recent research shows lower insulin levels can help promote rapid fat loss, increased energy, enhanced mental clarity, slower aging, lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol and over health.
Let’s start at the beginning. What is insulin? Insulin is sometimes referred to as the sugar-processing hormone. It is critical for glucose metabolism (or the usage of glucose in the body), storage and maintenance. When the digestive process starts, the carbohydrates are converted into a simple sugar called glucose. This is absorbed into the blood stream. The pancreas then releases the insulin in response to the sugar in the blood. Insulin then enters certain cells and triggers a set of events that causes the cells to absorb the sugar from the blood. The hormone insulin also aids other nutrients get inside the cell.
So now that you know what insulin does, why do we want to control it?
Well, it is becoming a big problem to become insulin resistant. This means that your body is losing the sensitivity to insulin that it used to have. Your body reacts by producing even more insulin, which results in higher levels of insulin, glucose and other unabsorbed nutrients circulating in the blood stream. Being insulin resistant is very hard on your pancreas because it is making much more insulin than it should be and can get worn out…which is when insulin from an outside source (shots) become necessary.
Insulin resistance can be a natural part of aging but more likely in this age, it is a result of excessive sugar intake. Other factors that contribute to insulin resistance are overeating, mineral deficiencies, consumption of processed and refined foods, alcohol, smoking and lack of physical exercise.
The best natural way to control your blood sugar and keep it at a healthy level is to follow a low-glycemic index diet. This is a food rating system based on the effect a certain food has on the blood sugar. Foods that cause a fast rise of blood sugar, and therefore an explosive release of insulin, are high glycemic. Low glycemic foods promote a slower, more constant release of glucose and insulin.
If you find that some of the foods you eat are in the high glycemic index column, but they are still healthy such as pineapple or carrots, just try to mix them with foods that are lower on that list. Remember that keeping variety in your diet is important because you need to get a variety of different nutrients, and eating the same things everyday can inhibit you from attaining that.
As an added note: Cinnamon is a great natural way to help control your blood sugar. Add some to your cereal every morning and you’ll be well on your way to controlling your blood sugar! It’s also a great anti-oxidant…so that can’t hurt either.
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