Insulin Resistance and The Battle of the Bulge
a strategy to avoiding Type II Diabetes by addressing insulin resistance
I work out almost every day and I can’t seem to get rid of this 25 pounds my body is hanging onto. My sister, who is in med school, suggests that I might be suffering from insulin resistance. For those of you who do not know, insulin is a hormone that is produced by the beta cells, which are cells that are scattered throughout the pancreas. The insulin produced is released into the blood stream and travels throughout the body. Insulin is an important hormone that has many actions within the body. Most of the actions of insulin are directed at metabolism (control) of carbohydrates (sugars and starches), lipids (fats), and proteins. Insulin also is important in regulating the cells of the body including their growth.
Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which the cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, that is, the normal response to a given amount of insulin is reduced. As a result, higher levels of insulin are needed in order for insulin to have its effects. The resistance is seen with both the body’s own insulin (endogenous) and if insulin is given through injection (exogenous).
Insulin Resistance (IR) can lead to:
- Impaired glucose tolerance
- High insulin levels (hyperinsulinemia)
- Elevated triglycerides (blood fat)
- Low HDL "good" cholesterol
- Slow clearance of fat from the blood (exaggerated postprandial lipemia)
- Higher than normal LDL "bad" cholesterol
- Smaller, more dense LDL "bad" cholesterol particles
- Increased propensity of the blood to form clots and decreased ability to dissolve blood clots
- Elevated blood pressure
- Obesity
- Type II Diabetes
The primary treatment for insulin resistance is exercise and weight loss. In some individuals, a low glycemic index diet may also help. Avoid the foods that cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. These include all types of flour products: bread, spaghetti, macaroni, bagels, rolls, crackers, cookies and pretzels; refined corn products and white rice; and all sugar added products.
It is suggested that you increase your intake of vegetables, un-ground whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts. Eat fruits and root vegetables (potatoes, carrots and beets) only with other foods. And make sure your diet is comprised of 15 percent lean proteins, 40 percent fat (primarily unsaturated) and 45 percent low glycemic carbohydrates.
As I have adjusted my diet, increased my work out routine to at least one hour a day and made sure I am getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night I have found that my insulin resistance has decreased and the weight is slowly coming off. This is not a onetime effort but, rather a lifetime commitment but, I assure you if you adhere to it, it will pay off for a lifetime.
To help you reach your healthy lifestyle goals please feel free to use the following discount code/coupon when ordering and we will give you an instant 10% off of your next order. Please enter the following code when ordering: STEVIVA10. Go to http://www.steviva.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.pl and enter discount code STEVIVA10 when checking out.
Have an excellent day.
Thom King
President
thom.king@steviva.com
Steviva Brands, Inc.
YOUR RECIPE
No Add Sugar Low Glycemic Peanut Butter Cups
Serves: 36
Carbs Per Serving: 6.3 g
Prep Time:<45 minutes
Skill Level: easy
Ingredients Filling:
10 oz low fat margarine - nuke on 'defrost' to soften (not melt) it
10 oz peanut butter - add to soft butter
1½ tsp. each vanilla
6 Tb sp. Fructevia or Steviva Blend
1 1/4 cups Protein Powder to mix in
4 Tb sp. of well-ground flax seeds
Mix this all up to a soft dough. Put a teaspoonful into each paper cup, and put them in the fridge while you make the chocolate.
Arrange 36 cupcake papers on a large sponge roll pan.
Chocolate Covering:
4 oz low fat margarine
4 oz coconut fat (if available) or vegetable shortening
4 Tb sp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
16 Tb sp. Fructevia or Steviva Blend
1/2 cup heavy cream
Soften the butter a little by microwave on low power a minute or two, then add the vegetable shortening and repeat. Don't melt it; just soften it. Stir it until all the lumps are gone, adding the cocoa powder, the vanilla, and the Fructevia or Steviva Blend.
Continue stirring (a whisk is good) as you slowly trickle the heavy cream.
By the time you finish adding the cream it should be starting to thicken a bit.
Take out your cups from the fridge, and spoon or pour a generous blob of "icing" on top of each one. Keep on going until it is all used up. Will be nice and thick. You can add a sprinkle of chopped nuts ... it's nice to have help with this so you can get the job finished before the chocolate starts to set.
For best results use low fat margarine and coconut fat that have been left out of the fridge and are really soft so that they don't need microwave. I think not getting the ingredients too hot or melted is the secret to successful chocolate making.
Keep refrigerated
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1 piece
Total Calories: 3,772
Calories Per Serving: 104.7
Total Fat: 271.8g
Saturated Fat: 90.6g
Cholesterol: 368mg
Sodium: 5,182mg
Total Carbohydrates: 156g
Carbohydrates Per Serving: 4.3g
Dietary Fiber: 19g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 128g
Try All Natural Fructevia, Steviva Brand Stevia Blend and Steviva Brand Stevia Powder