24 replies to this topic

[doug123]

Link to source

Tips for preventing insulin resistance

(AP) -- A healthy diet and lifestyle can go a long way in preventing insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease in overweight people. Some tips:

•Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, enough to raise your heart rate but not leave you short of breath, five times a week. Exercising muscles makes them more receptive to insulin and helps them burn more glucose.

•Have several small meals each day, rather than a few large ones, to avoid ups and downs in blood sugar.

•Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, particularly oats, beans and legumes; the fiber slows digestion, limiting spikes and drops in blood insulin and sugar levels.

•Eat fewer processed meats and other animal products, butter and other saturated fats, and trans fats, which are in many processed foods; they can limit the ability of insulin to regulate blood sugar. Use healthy cooking oils, such as canola, sunflower or olive oil.

•Limit consumption of sugary drinks, desserts and other sweets. Keep healthy snacks handy. • Avoid high-sodium prepared foods, which can push up blood pressure.

•Drink milk or eat dairy products; the proteins and enzymes in them slow conversion of glucose to blood sugar, which can reduce risk of insulin resistance developing.

•Get six to eight hours sleep a night, as inadequate rest can disrupt blood sugar levels and raise insulin resistance.

•Try meditation, deep breathing or other relaxation methods. One study showed they can reduce high blood sugar levels.

Sources: National Women's Health Resource Center, AP interviews

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2...d.sugar.tips.ap

[Shepard]

"•Drink milk or eat dairy products; the proteins and enzymes in them slow conversion of glucose to blood sugar, which can reduce risk of insulin resistance developing."

This is one I'd be wary about. A good bit of what I've seen points to this being false.

[Athanasios]

Green tea and Lipoic acid are great for this. A-Lipoic acid can also reverse damage done due to chronic high blood sugar levels.

[Shepard]

Coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, too. Also, some use for acetic/citric acids in this area.

[treonsverdery]

geocities.com/treonbarleyverdery/index.html

Edited by treonsverdery, 01 November 2006 - 02:29 AM.

[Shepard]

treonsverdery, can you expand on this idea?

You're of the opinion that inducing renal glucosuria will increase longevity? As far as I know, it isn't conclusive that it is 100% benign.

[treonsverdery]

geocities.com/treonbarleyverdery/index.html

Edited by treonsverdery, 01 November 2006 - 02:28 AM.

[bgwowk]

Glyburide is an insulin releaser, not an insulin sensitizer. It will *increase* your insulin levels. If there is a reference showing that it increases longevity in non-diabetics, please cite it.

[treonsverdery]

geocities.com/treonbarleyverdery/index.html

Edited by treonsverdery, 01 November 2006 - 02:28 AM.

[Shepard]

Are you aware of the negative effects of metformin? Namely, its effects on testosterone and the abundance of gut issues it causes.

[treonsverdery]

http://www.geocities.com/treonbarleyverdery/index.html

Edited by treonsverdery, 01 November 2006 - 02:27 AM.

[Shepard]

I urge you to describe

GI tract changes are opportunities

I'm not quite following. The GI issues I was referring to were nausea, diarrhea, etc.

[Four_Aces]

"Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, particularly oats, beans and legumes; the fiber slows digestion, limiting spikes and drops in blood insulin and sugar levels."

This is completely bogus. (The article was from CNN)

The key is eating as close to ZERO CARBS as possible, then there's not even need to worry about "resistance".

[Brainbox]

The key is eating as close to ZERO CARBS as possible, then there's not even need to worry about "resistance".

Hmm, I will try to run my car without petrol...
Eating only proteins and fat produces the risk that proteins will be used for energy production. In case proteins are metabolised that way undesirable byproducts are produced. And fat, well....

Furthermore, whey has been associated with insulin spiking as well, so probably real-life is not that simple.

[Four_Aces]

Too much protien can be harmful. In a low-carb diet, it is the fat that provides energy.

Diabetes as a great example -- the american diabetes association recommends a diet of fruits, whole grains, etc -- a lot of carby stuff.

Since all carbs are used as glucose, and since too much glucose can cause insulin resistance.. the answer seems clear to me: carbs simply are not needed by the body.

[Athanasios]

I can see minimizing grains, but why would it need be extended to fruits and veggies? I can see arguments against excessive fruit intake, but an apple, citrus fruit, or cup of berries a day could only be considered healthy. There are too many benefits to fruits and veg to think of cutting them out of a diet.

[Four_Aces]

I agree that fruits and veggies have their benefits, and I do eat them, but I thought it important to note that the human body can operate without them.

[spins]

Too much protien can be harmful. In a low-carb diet, it is the fat that provides energy.

Diabetes as a great example -- the american diabetes association recommends a diet of fruits, whole grains, etc -- a lot of carby stuff.

Since all carbs are used as glucose, and since too much glucose can cause insulin resistance.. the answer seems clear to me: carbs simply are not needed by the body.

It's a bit more complex than this, for example trans-fatty acids increase insulin resistance and in fact simply being obese causes insulin resistance. The fat tissues become full of macrophages (immune system cells), which secrete tumour necrosis factor-alpha, this produces the insulin resistance.

It's the type of carbohydrate that's the problem (as with fat); people who are type 2 diabetic should avoid all processed sources such as white rice and flour, anything that has been stripped of its nutrients and fibre. Avoid saturated fat and trans-fatty acids. Whole grains, such as oats and barley, are ok in moderation because the fibre content slows down the absorption somewhat, as are pulses, such as lentils and beans. Also fruit is also ok in moderation but I'd try and eat those which have the highest nutrient load and fibre content whilst also having the lowest sugar content such as blueberries. Sources of carbohydrate to eat lots of are low-starch vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts etc.

Obviously if you are not type 2 diabetic you can increase those foods listed above that should be eaten in moderation.

As you mentioned later and as cnorwood19 said, I would never cut fruit and vegetables out of your diet the health benefits are far too great to even contemplate this. Especially since certain fruits and many vegetables actually have a very positive effect on insulin resistance.

[Athanasios]

The best evidence i have seen for not eating fatty foods is postprandial endothelial dysfunction, but that is alleviated by benfotiamine and/or anti-oxidant supplementation.

P.S. being overweight is not a direct result of eating fatty foods, IMO....also, I am not talking of trans-fat, that is a different monster altogether

[spins]

P.S. being overweight is not a direct result of eating fatty foods, IMO....also, I am not talking of trans-fat, that is a different monster altogether

If I wanted to get fat in the most un-healthy way possible I'd simply eat lots of refined carbohydrate foods (sugar, white flour, rice cakes etc), that enter the blood stream quickly and cause an insulin spike, if I was inactive at the time I wouldn't be able to burn off all the excess calories and my body would simply convert all the glucose into fat and ship it off for storage. Add to this over-cooked bad saturated fats and lots of trans-fatty acids from hydrogenated vegetables oils etc and you have a recipe for disaster. The insulin spikes cause massive fluctuations in blood sugar levels and lead to cravings for more sugary foods, it quickly turns into a vicious cycle.

Thinking about it actually I ate an appalling diet growing up (obviously my metabolism would have been higher back then) but I never got fat, I wonder if the current increase in obesity in the western world is due to all the trans-fats and refined carbohydrates causing insulin resistance, in those people who are more susceptible genetically, and thus obesity. The reason I say this is because everyone I know who has type 2 has problems controlling their weight, the cravings they get are huge. In fact if you try and stop my mother-in-law from getting her chocolate fix she'll bite your head off. [lol]

What are your opinions cnorwood?

BTW other ways to prevent insulin resistance along with a good diet eating the right foods is to drink green tea regularly (as you already mentioned), and as Shepard mentioned above chocolate, or to be more specific (in my case) cocoa powder. Also rather than eating 3 large meals a day eat 5 or 6 smaller meals instead to spread out the glucose load (GL).

[spins]

Coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, too. Also, some use for acetic/citric acids in this area.

Coffee seems to have a very negative effect on insulin resistance from what I've read, or is this what you meant?

[Shepard]

No, coffee intake has been linked with fewer cases of insulin resistance. I can post references when I get back to my house Sunday afternoon.

[spins]

Yeah it seems to be the chlorogenic acid that is slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream. Although many of the studies show that a relatively high consumption of coffee is required to produce significant effects, 5 to 11 cups a day.

IMO it's easier and healthier to simply remove the source of the problem in the first place, simple sugars (amongst other things), so you then don't have to rely on compounds such as chlorogenic acid to reduce the glucose load.

If I had to choose between coffee and green tea for preventing insulin resistance green tea would win every time from my point-of-view. The associated health benefits of drinking green tea far outweigh those of coffee. Having said that I prefer the taste of green tea so I'm biased. [lol]

[Shepard]

On top of chlorogenic acid, coffee has a decent mineral profile which could influence the results in the general population.

Yeah, the results at the 7+ cups/day range are significant. I'm comfortable with my lower intake for milder benefits. But, I'm glad I don't have to choose between tea or coffee.

[treonsverdery]

geocities.com/treonbarleyverdery/index.html

Edited by treonsverdery, 01 November 2006 - 03:10 AM.