There is a specific hormone that is very sensitive, and if not taken care of properly your health will go on a downward spiral…quickly. You will learn about it here and also how to protect this precious hormone.
That hormone is Insulin, and I believe how sensitive we are to insulin will influence our health over most other things.
Granted this may not account for all medical conditions, but you would be surprised by what depends on how efficiently our individual bodies handle sugar.
Stress and inflammation are primary causes of all disease. [source]
Now, let’s quickly discuss genetics. What disease is most commonly associated as being hereditary? You may say heart disease, but I say Diabetes - namely Type 2 Diabetes.
What is Type 2 Diabetes? To be put plainly it is the desensitization from sugar in the blood.
When your body is sensitive to sugar, with even the smallest amount your body will release insulin into your bloodstream to metabolize the sugar. However, with more and more sugar flooding your blood the less sensitive your body is to it, and as a result your insulin does less and less; this results in a surplus of sugar in the blood…that’s no good. Without intervention this causes a whole range of illnesses: from blood pressure, poor circulation, inability to heal wounds, all the way to reproductive health.
The emphasis here is understanding how sensitive you are to insulin. Is diabetes prevalent in your family? If yes, then assume you have to limit sugar consumption. If no, I suggest trying consuming a surplus of sugar one evening and see how you feel the next day. If you feel “softer” (more pudgy) than usual, or are hotter overnight, you may have low sugar sensitivity.
So, now to why insulin is the issue: Inflammation. Inflammation is the root of so many diseases (stroke, cancer, heart disease, heart failure) It is also the cause for conditions such as (weight gain, testosterone/estrogen imbalance, thyroid imbalance, etc.)
What Causes Inflammation?
The inability to reduce cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that arises as a result of stress on the body. This stress could be illness, situations of high adrenaline, or working out.
What Reduces Cortisol Levels?
Insulin. When you workout hard or cause a huge amount of stress on the body, the only way to reduce cortisol is with insulin. Read this article for the best practices of reducing cortisol: What To Eat Before And After The Gym.
So now that you know how important being sensitive to insulin is…
How Do You Control Insulin?
With Diet, of course. Namely, keep the consumption of simple/processed sugars to a minimum. This means no soda, juice, energy drinks, sweet coffees, sweet teas, lemonade, etc. A good rule of thumb is that if it has over 6 grams of sugar per serving, try and avoid it. We can’t just say stop eating carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient in our diet. You will experience far worse than good if you stop eating carbohydrates [source]. So, the problem here is not eating too much carbohydrates, it’s eating too much straight sugar. Most carbohydrate sources contain fiber. Fiber is the crucial element for carbohydrate consumption and insulin response. Fiber buffers the amount of blood sugar in your bloodstream. With stuff like soda, juice, energy drinks, etc. there is no fiber. Meaning it’s straight sugar flowing through your blood! This is why I emphasize sugar control, and not just carbohydrate control. There is another dietary method for increasing your insulin sensitivity…
Intermittent Fasting. What Is An Intermittent Fasting Routine? Basically, it comes down to pushing your first meal to later in the day. By doing this it allows your body to properly utilize all of the nutrients you’ve consumed. When you properly utilize these nutrients you are causing your body to become more sensitive to blood sugar levels, and as a result insulin is more efficient.
Anyone who is overweight is somewhat desensitized to insulin. Anyone who is unhealthy is somewhat desensitized to insulin. Anyone with hormonal imbalances is somewhat desensitized to insulin.
Treat your insulin with respect, because once it’s gone it’s gone (or VERY difficult to fix) and then the trouble really gets started. :(
To Sum Up: Control your sugar intake for two weeks (at most 6 grams per serving) and see how you feel afterward!
Also, exercising will go a long way to helping with your insulin sensitivity. So be active! Check out the free workout generator, located at the top of our home page, that provides over 150 trillion workout routines including Body Weight and At Home workout routines for those who don’t have gym memberships!
We hope the best for you and your fitness goals!
Stress and inflammation are primary causes of all disease.
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