Gaining Energy and Losing Fat: The Story Behind Insulin and Sugar

 

By: Dr. Jin Sung – December 2012

Everybody wants more energy and most of us want to shed unwanted fat. Today I want to share with you a metabolic condition, which–due to the Standard American Diet (SAD)–most Americans have to some degree. This condition is called: INSULIN RESISTANCE

It saps us of energy, increases fat production (cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL), alters our metabolism, can lead to type 2 diabetes and essentially changes our entire physiology…especially our brains!

Once in the body our food gets broken down into mainly glucose. Glucose is the major energy source for all of our cells and is the ONLY energy source for our brains. Our brains consume about 30% of our entire glucose intake. It is by far the most metabolically active organ in our body. So if we have a problem with glucose metabolism, guess which organ feels it the most? That’s right…THE BRAIN!! Is it any wonder then, that brain-based conditions like DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, MEMORY LOSS, ALZHEIMER’S and so on are so much on the rise?

We eat our food and drink what we drink and hopefully we absorb it (yes, proper absorption is essential for good metabolism) and it gets broken down into glucose and sent into the bloodstream. Glucose in the blood is USELESS. Let me repeat that …glucose in the blood is USELESS! It must get into the cells where it’s converted to ATP, which is the ultimate energy source for our bodies. This conversion only takes place IN THE CELLS. Glucose outside of our cells (in the blood) is like gasoline NOT in the tank of our car or coal NOT in the steam engine.

As we eat and drink, the levels of glucose in the blood will rise. There is a part of our brain that senses this and signals the pancreas to secrete the hormone INSULIN. WHY? Because insulin’s job is to push glucose into the cells where it can be converted to energy (ATP) and everybody is happy!

Now: here’s where things go wrong. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HAS GLUCOSE LEVELS THAT ARE WAY TOO HIGH!

CHRONICALLY HIGH LEVELS OF GLUCOSE = CHRONICALLY HIGH LEVELS OF INSULIN.

Chronically high levels of insulin are bad, bad, bad for your body and especially bad for your BRAIN. Why? Great question–here are the answers you should know!

High levels of insulin do the following:

1. Eventually your cells will stop listening to insulin! THIS IS INSULIN RESISTANCE!

2. High levels of insulin create inflammation throughout the body. That’s right.

On a blood test, inflammatory markers such as C-Reactive Protein, homocysteine and fibrinogen are going to be high.

3. High insulin is bad, bad, bad for your brain. Among other things, it causes the pituitary gland (in your brain) to excite your adrenal glands too much.

Here’s where it gets complicated, but trust me when I tell you: you do NOT want high levels of cortisol. Why? Well, beyond what I just told you, it suppresses your thyroid function (just when you thought you couldn’t get any more fatigued). This leads to weight gain, suppresses your immune system, makes you more susceptible to colds/flu, gut infections…and a lot of other bad stuff.

So, let’s talk about what’s causing all this high blood glucose. Wouldn’t it be nice to know so we could remove the cause, instead of just dealing with the consequences?

1. Poor Diet

2. Over-Stimulation Of The Adrenal Glands Remember these guys? They secrete the dreaded cortisol which increases blood glucose. What stimulates these glands?

– Stress, Poor Diet, Alcohol, Nicotine, Caffeine, Food Sensitivities, Hidden Gut Infections, Anemia, Heavy metal toxicity, Too Much Exercise-yes too much exercise.

3. Improperly-functioning thyroid gland

4. Poorly-functioning liver

5. Poor gut function

How will you know if you have these problems? PROPER TESTING!!!

Dr. Jin Sung is a chiropractic physician who offers a unique, drug-free, and effective approach to the management of chronic health conditions. He utilizes Brain Based Therapy and Functional Medicine approaches to achieve excellent results with his patients. Call 978 688 6999 or visit www.DrJinSung.com