Thread: Some Surprising Facts About Insulin

I got this article in the maili the other day from my Insurance Company's newletter and wanted to share. Very interesting. I will need to type in all in because I can't find it on the website and if I scan it in it will be too small to read... It is from the Hope Health Letter sent out by the West Virginia PEIA.

"Insulin is a very important hormone. It's produced by the pancreas, and if we were totally deprived of it, we'd die. But insulin can be a problem when we produce too much. The health consequences of churning out large amonts of this hormone--acondition called Insulin Resistance Syndrome or IRS--can trigger a host of health problems.

WHAT IRS IS
IRS can have several names. It's also been called Syndrome X and Metabolic Syndrome. IRS starts when muscle, fat, and liver cells become unable to use insulin properly. In other words, cells become resistant to insulin. As a result, the pancreas pumps out more and more insulin in an attempt to keep blood sugar levels stable. Insulin levels then rise to unhealthy levels. For most people, IRS occurs because we eat too many "bad" (refined) carbohydrates, don't exercise enough, and gain too much weight. Chronically high levels of insulin over a long period of time can trigger a cascade of problems--from high blood pressure to unhealthy blood fat levels to cancer. Sometimes, after many years of insulin excess, the pancreas gets "tired" and can no longer produce enough insulin. Excess sugar builds up in the bloodstream. This is type 2 diabetes.

HEALTH DANGERS OF IRS
Cancer. Insulin encourages cell growth. Researchers speculate that if you have cancer cells developing, insulin may give them a growth boost. Studies have shown that cancers of the colon and breast seem to be linked to excess insulin. Infertility. High insulin can disrupt normal hormone production (e.g., polycystic ovary syndrome) Heart disease. High insulin levels can raise blood pressure and triglyceride levels (a blood fat). It can clower good HDL cholesterol and make bad LDL cholesterol particles smaller, denser, and better able to invade artery walls (i.e. plaque build-up). High insulin levels can also cause arteries to constrict and made blood more likely to clot (i.e. heart attack). Diabetes. The body's inablility to use insulin properly often leads to type 2 diabetes. There's also some evidence that high insulin levels may contribute to kidney damage, dementia, thyroid problems, and even thinning bones.

WHAT CAN YOU DO
Lose weight. Losing even a few pounds can improve how your body uses insulin. Improve your diet. Avoid refined (i.e. low-fiber) carbohydrates and eat more high-fiber vegetables; get adequate protein and the right amount of healthy fats (e.g. less than 10% of total calories from saturated fats and about 30% from healthy fats like olice and canola oils and omega-3 fats like those found in fatty fish). Move more-at least 30 minutes of brisk activiity most days of the week. Using your muscles helps lower blood sugar levels-and that, in turn, lowers insulin levels. Relax. Stress can raise insulin levels. Find what works for you. It could be exercise, a form of meditation, or an enjoyable hobby.

IRS RISK FACTORS
There is no simple, cost-effective lab test to detect high levels of insulin. But the more fisk factors you have, the greater your chances are of having IRS.
You are at risk if...
1. You are overweight. You have a body mass index higher than 25, or a waistline that measures more than 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women.
2. You don't exercise.
3. You're aver age 40.
4. You are Latino/Hispanic American, African-American, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander.
5. You have a family history of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease.
6. You have a history of higher-than-normal blood sugar (100 to 125 on fasting blood sugar test and for women a history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy).
7. You have unhealthy blood pressure levels (over 120/80), low HDL cholesterol (under 50 for women, under 40 for men), or high triglycerides (over 150).
8. you have acanthosis nigricans-patches of thick, brownish, velvety skin, especially at the neck, underarms or groin.
9. Polycystic ovary syndrome (for women).


Sources:National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 96, Pg. 546; British Medical Journal, Vol. 320, Pg. 1496"

THNKS FOR THE INFO!!!! ((((HUGS))))