I came across a fascinating discussion. You can find it HERE. I feel like I've written extensively about the dangers of insulin resistance, and I believe we can all agree that it is often the root cause of many modern diseases. I thought I wouldn't learn anything new on this topic, but I was mistaken. I discovered some intriguing ideas that enhance the overall understanding of this complex subject. Dr. Benjamin Bikman is an expert in metabolism and physiology. His work primarily centers on the role of insulin, insulin resistance, and their impact on metabolic diseases.
As I have already mentioned, insulin resistance is the root cause of all lifestyle-related diseases. Today's typical human diet consists of approximately 70% carbohydrates, and people are encouraged to eat five times a day. Consuming carbohydrates at this high percentage and frequency prevents the human body from ever reaching a state where insulin is no longer produced. A consistently high and frequent carbohydrate intake triggers continuous insulin production in an organ known as the pancreas. Insulin resistance means more than just certain cells becoming overly accustomed to insulin and thus resistant to it; it also indicates a measurable increase in insulin levels in the bloodstream. Given this fact, it is surprising that during regular health checkups, your doctor routinely measures only your blood sugar level. The presence of excessive sugar in the bloodstream is merely the endpoint resulting from long-term neglect of insulin resistance. However, physicians generally do not focus on blood insulin levels at all, even though this indicator is crucial for the early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, the final stage of insulin resistance.
If you want to assess your insulin resistance, you can check your blood fasting insulin levels independently. Typical symptoms of insulin resistance often manifest as skin changes. Small skin tags may begin to appear around the neck, under the armpits, and in the groin area.
The skin in these regions darkens and develops a texture akin to crumpled tissue.
The solution to this condition is to gradually—and this needs to be emphasized—gradually increase the time intervals during which we don't eat. This means that instead of having 5 meals a day, we will have 4 and adjust to this regime for some time until it becomes comfortable. We'll aim to transition gradually to 3 or 2 meals per day. It's impossible to specify exactly what number is ideal because every person is different. In general, however, 3 meals a day are more than sufficient. We should strive to have at least 12 hours between the last meal of the day and the first meal of the following day. Between meals, you should avoid consuming anything that would trigger insulin production. You can have tea or coffee with a small amount of milk if necessary, but keep in mind that milk contains lactose, which converts to sugar during digestion, so really only a very small amount is advisable. Avocado is an example of a food that doesn't interrupt fasting, meaning it doesn't trigger insulin production. If someone starts too abruptly while in a state of insulin resistance and suddenly stops eating, the body, which has excess insulin in the blood, is unable to switch to an alternative fuel, which is fat. This can lead to hunger that is simply irresistible. Additionally, if the body is in an energy deficit and cannot utilize fat as fuel due to insulin in the blood, it may begin breaking down muscle, as the protein in muscles can be converted into glucose. However, this is the least efficient way of generating energy, and you lose muscle mass in the process.
The body operates in two modes: it either expends energy or stores it. Insulin is the hormone that dictates which mode the body is in. When insulin levels are near zero, the body knows to derive energy from fat cells. Fat cells release trans-fatty acids into the bloodstream, which are converted into ketones in the liver. Ketones can serve as fuel in cells just like glucose. For the brain, they are a preferred energy source. This is why the brain functions more efficiently when a person is in a fasting state and generating energy from fat. Ketones also have another significant advantage: the body excretes them through breath and urine. In total, you can excrete ketones with an energy value of 600 kilocalories daily, which is considerable, equivalent to several hours of average physical activity. When insulin is present in the bloodstream, fat cells cannot switch to energy release mode; instead, they attempt to store energy in the form of fat.
An important fact is that counting calories should not be a mantra. It's essential to have at least a rough idea of my caloric intake, but how many of those calories are burned and in what way depends greatly on a person's metabolic health. Nutrition is by no means just about calculating calories consumed and expended.
Physical activity also completes the puzzle of metabolic health. Muscles, or more specifically muscle cells, can utilize glucose without insulin. Under normal conditions, a glucose molecule requires insulin to enter a cell. Muscle cells can bypass this mechanism, allowing them to effectively lower blood sugar levels without insulin. If you consume carbohydrates and immediately engage in physical activity afterward, your muscles will need fuel in the form of glucose, which they will draw from your blood without needing insulin to process it. A good tip for healthy eating is to take a short walk after each meal or at least do a few squats, push-ups, or any activity that would initiate energy needs in the muscles.
A lot has been said. If the reader were to take away just one piece of information, it would be this: Try to minimize carbohydrate intake, don't shy away from fats, and increase your protein consumption. Remember that in nature, protein never exists on its own but always in combination with fats—that's how nature arranged it, and that's what's best for our bodies. Try to ensure that your source of carbohydrates isn't anything with a barcode.
