Carbohydrate Intolerance / Insulin Resistance
Carbohydrate intolerance/insulin resistance are terms often used interchangeably because they usually go hand-in-hand. Carbohydrate intolerance is when a person doesn’t tolerate carbohydrates very well, usually gluten containing products or simple sugars. They typically crave sugar but it may give them a headache, feeling of weakness, or make them irritable, edgy, unfocused, or angry. Insulin resistance is a term used to signify that the body’s cells have become resistant to the insulin produced by the pancreas resulting in a rise in blood sugar. In a normal person, about 40% of consumed carbohydrates are converted to fat. In a person with CI, that number increases to 50-60%. The excess insulin can cause blood sugar to drop too quickly, and then the adrenal glands must kick in to get the blood sugar back up. Not only will this cause more stress on the adrenal glands, but usually too much glucose is released, further causing the pancreas to produce more insulin. Around and around it goes. Eventually, the body must produce more insulin to metabolize the same amount of glucose. CI is caused by a number of factors; some of the more common reasons include increased stress hormones, a diet containing hydrogenated fats, a food allergy (milk is the most common as it has been shown to attack the beta cells of the pancreas – this is why children under 1 year old are advised not to consume dairy), a high carbohydrate diet, and caffeine. Insulin resistance can cause the following:
- BLOCK MAJOR HORMONES INCLUDING DHEA AND THE CONVERSION OF T4 TO T3 (THYROID HORMONES) AS WELL AS LOWERED GROWTH HORMONE
- ELEVATE BLOOD PRESSURE
- ELEVATE TRIGLYCERIDES AND LDL, THE “BAD” CHOLESTEROL
- AN INCREASED TENDENCY TO GAIN FAT IN THE UPPER BODY
- PMS AND POLYCYSTIC OVARIES IN WOMEN
- DECREASE ENERGY OUTPUT, ESPECIALLY AFTER EATING
- GIVE A CRAVING FOR SUGAR – A “SWEET TOOTH”
- HANDS GO NUMB AND “FALL ASLEEP” AT NIGHT, OR INDUCE A “PINS & NEEDLES” FEELING DOWN THE HANDS, ESPECIALLY DURING EXERCISE
- IRRITABILITY & UNSTABLE MOODS
STEPS TO IMPROVE CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM and INSULIN SENSITIVITY:
- FOLLOW THE “TWO-WEEK TEST” TO SEE YOUR CARBOHYDRATE TOLERANCE LEVEL
- CHECK OUT THE PALEO DIET
- CONSUME ADEQUATE HEALTHY FATS (EGGS, AVOCADO, COCONUT, BUTTER, RED MEAT, NUTS & SEEDS) TO SUSTAIN YOUR ENERGY FOR SEVERAL HOURS
- EVALUATE NEED FOR NUTRIENTS: CHROMIUM, VANADIUM, ZINC, AND SESAME SEED OIL.
- EXERCISE AEROBICALLY UNTIL YOU HAVE A SUFFICIENT AEROBIC BASE; THEN CONSIDER ANAEROBIC ENDURANCE TRAINING
- WEIGHT LIFTING/STRENGTH TRAINING CAN HELP OR HINDER AT FIRST; IT DEPENDS ON YOUR SITUATION AND TYPE OF TRAINING
