Carbohydrates - What They Are and What They Do - Part 2
The Danger of Sugar Mismanagement by the Body So, what happens when the body's sugar controls go haywire? I know you've heard the answer to this question - insulin issues and diabetes.
Let's go back to the Harvard School of Public Health and get their explanation of how the cycle of sugar processing in our body works: "...
When you eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which then enters the blood.
As blood sugar levels rise, special cells in the pancreas churn out more and more insulin, a hormone that signals cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage.
As cells sponge up blood sugar, its levels in the bloodstream begin to fall.
That's when other cells in the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that tells the liver to start releasing stored sugar.
This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar.
" That's how it is supposed to work in our bodies; however, in some people that cycle doesn't work correctly, either from early in life (type I diabetes or juvenile diabetes) or later as adults (type II adult onset diabetes).
In type I diabetes (once called insulin-dependent diabetes), the body doesn't make enough insulin so the cells can't absorb the sugar they need.
There is usually a different problem in type II diabetes (non insulin-dependent or age onset diabetes) - the cells don't respond well when the insulin signals them to "open up for sugar".
This is a condition known as Insulin Resistance and it is responsible for blood sugar and insulin levels remaining high long after eating.
This causes a significant demand on the insulin making cells to produce more and more insulin; they eventually wear out and the insulin production slows down and then stops.
The Double Edged Sword To make matters worse, insulin resistance is not just a blood sugar problem.
Research has linked this condition to some pretty serious other health problems, such as: high blood pressure, elevated levels of triglycerides, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and excess weight.
As a matter of fact, insulin resistance keeps such good company with these conditions that the medical community has given a name to this "syndrome".
I know you are hearing more and more about "Metabolic Syndrome" in the news.
The simple truth is that whether insulin resistance is alone or shares in the company of the other "syndrome" components, it can lead to type II diabetes, heart disease and possibly some forms of cancer.
How Do You Prevent Insulin Resistance? According to the Harvard School of Public Health, genes, sedentary lifestyle, being overweight and a diet rich in processed carbohydrates promotes insulin resistance.
And, the more of these "qualifications" you have, the worse it is! You can't do anything about your genes, but you have a good deal of control over the other contributors.
You can get off the couch and go for a walk several days a week; join a gym; ride your bicycle with friends - anything that gets you moving as often as possible.
Getting off the couch and getting more exercise will help the weight issue but you also need to be more aware of what you're eating and portion control.
Studies are showing that replacing the refined grains in your diet with whole grains will go a long way to helping to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and the coronary artery disease that goes with it.
Let's go back to the Harvard School of Public Health and get their explanation of how the cycle of sugar processing in our body works: "...
When you eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which then enters the blood.
As blood sugar levels rise, special cells in the pancreas churn out more and more insulin, a hormone that signals cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage.
As cells sponge up blood sugar, its levels in the bloodstream begin to fall.
That's when other cells in the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that tells the liver to start releasing stored sugar.
This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar.
" That's how it is supposed to work in our bodies; however, in some people that cycle doesn't work correctly, either from early in life (type I diabetes or juvenile diabetes) or later as adults (type II adult onset diabetes).
In type I diabetes (once called insulin-dependent diabetes), the body doesn't make enough insulin so the cells can't absorb the sugar they need.
There is usually a different problem in type II diabetes (non insulin-dependent or age onset diabetes) - the cells don't respond well when the insulin signals them to "open up for sugar".
This is a condition known as Insulin Resistance and it is responsible for blood sugar and insulin levels remaining high long after eating.
This causes a significant demand on the insulin making cells to produce more and more insulin; they eventually wear out and the insulin production slows down and then stops.
The Double Edged Sword To make matters worse, insulin resistance is not just a blood sugar problem.
Research has linked this condition to some pretty serious other health problems, such as: high blood pressure, elevated levels of triglycerides, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and excess weight.
As a matter of fact, insulin resistance keeps such good company with these conditions that the medical community has given a name to this "syndrome".
I know you are hearing more and more about "Metabolic Syndrome" in the news.
The simple truth is that whether insulin resistance is alone or shares in the company of the other "syndrome" components, it can lead to type II diabetes, heart disease and possibly some forms of cancer.
How Do You Prevent Insulin Resistance? According to the Harvard School of Public Health, genes, sedentary lifestyle, being overweight and a diet rich in processed carbohydrates promotes insulin resistance.
And, the more of these "qualifications" you have, the worse it is! You can't do anything about your genes, but you have a good deal of control over the other contributors.
You can get off the couch and go for a walk several days a week; join a gym; ride your bicycle with friends - anything that gets you moving as often as possible.
Getting off the couch and getting more exercise will help the weight issue but you also need to be more aware of what you're eating and portion control.
Studies are showing that replacing the refined grains in your diet with whole grains will go a long way to helping to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and the coronary artery disease that goes with it.