Energy Products and Blood Sugar Management

NUTSHELL OF HOW YOU PRODUCE ENERGY

Food enters the digestive track, the pancreas “hears” about it. (through hormones and the nervous system).
The pancreas sends insulin out to prep the cells to be able to receive the glucose from the food.
When the pancreas “hears” that the insulin levels are going down it sends out glucagon so the cells stop taking up sugar so levels of sugar in the blood don’t get too low.

When Things go Sideways

When the system doesn’t work properly the cells don’t take up the sugar and it stays in the blood stream.
“Insulin resistance” is a term that is used to describe when the blood sugar management system is off, the insulin is being sent out but the cells are ignoring it. It’s like a traffic jam, the ambulance can’t get through. Generally INFLAMMATION is blocking the cells.
Mind insulin resistance often gets overlooked because the signs are mild and the body works hard to correct this vital system. After all, we are talking about each and every cell in the body doing everything that they do so you can breathe, walk, poop, blink, etc.
As this imbalance gets worse, the main players, the muscles, liver and fat tissue, get negatively impacted as they are they have a lot of responsibility with energy storage and usage.
The brain also gets affected as they have cells that are very sensitive to blood sugar. This is why you hear the term “brain fog”, “burnt out” with the “belly fat” when referring this type of weight/energy issue.
1. Food Intake
2. Body weight
3. Reproduction
4. Learning
5. Memory
Early symptoms: feeling foggy, unfocused and scatter brained. Sometimes you will feel like NO amount of caffeine will get you going in the am. Huge sugar cravings in the afternoon are related to this as well.
Insulin resistance –> Diabetes –> Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome is serious business in that it causes stroke, heart disease and is one of the leading causes of death. It has strong ties to PCOS and now studies are showing that it’s a factor in endothelial, breast and colon cancer.
For most people fasting glucose isn’t high when insulin resistance begins. The fasting glucose testing isn’t early enough in the process, so while this clue doesn’t trigger any action, the issue is causing negative impacts to the health of the body.

SYMPTOMS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE

Fatigue
Brain fog
Belly Fat
Sleepiness after meals
Sugar cravings (especially right after a meal)

Signs that things have progressed to diabetes

Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Poor healing of cuts and wounds
Increased hunger
Unexplained weight loss
And fasting glucose is up to 120 (avg/consistent)

Criteria for Metabolic Syndrome

(3 or more of the following)
High triglyceride levels
abdominal obesity
High blood pressure
High fasting blood sugar
Low HDL cholesterol levels

Four other syndromes that are related to insulin resistance

PCOS: this is a form of metabolic syndrome. The cysts on the ovaries that really aren’t the issue. It’s the metabolic changes that are the real issue. More on this later.
PMS. Directed affected by insulin resistance.
Thyroid Hormone Imbalance, high insulin levels can cause the thyroid to malfunction. And hypo/hyper thyroidism can have an impact on insulin.
Gestational Diabetes

MORE FUN FACTS

EXCESS WEIGHT INCREASES INSULIN RESISTANCE
Excess weight also raises estrogen
Women that are over weight are more prone to conditions related to estrogen dominance
Weight lose improves insulin resistance and estrogen dominance
Info on Hyperglycemia
Info on Hypoglycemia

more geeky information

Our blood glucose level, or blood sugar level, is the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The amount of glucose in the blood is measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/l). Glucose levels are measured most commonly to diagnose or to monitor diabetes. It is also important to keep an eye on blood glucose levels during certain situations – for example: during pregnancy, pancreatitis and with increasing age. Normally, blood sugar levels stay within a narrow range during the day. A good level is between 4 to 8mmol/l (or under 85 with a glucose monitor). After you consume food, your blood sugar level will rise and after you have had a night’s rest, they will usually be lowest in the morning.

Diabetes is a common disease in our society, affecting 2-5% of the general population, with many more people unaware that they may be affected by this condition. Diabetes results from a lack of insulin, or insensitivity of the body towards the level of insulin present. Thus if you have diabetes, your blood sugar level may move outside the normal limits.

Why is controlling blood sugar levels so important?

Carbohydrate foods are the body’s main energy source. When they are digested, they break down to form glucose in the bloodstream. If you make sure you eat regular meals, spread evenly throughout the day, you will help maintain your energy levels without causing large rises in your blood sugar levels. It is also important to maintain a stable and balanced blood sugar level, as there is a limited range of blood sugar levels in which the brain can function normally. Regular testing of your blood sugar levels allows you to monitor your level of control and assists you in altering your diabetes management strategy if your levels aren’t within the expected/recommended range.

Long term complications, including eye disease, kidney problems, nerve problems, cerebrovascular disease such as strokes, and cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks, heart failure and high blood pressure, can be significantly reduced. Based on studies of people with type 1 diabetes (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial : DCCT) and type 2 diabetes (United Kingdom Prevention of Diabetes – UKPDS), maintaining near normal blood sugars and glycated haemoglobin levels significantly reduces the risks of complications arising from diabetes.