It’s very empowering to understand how diet affects your body. So, a few years ago, when I noticed changes happening to myself and family members, I decided to investigate. I really got into the weeds of nutrition and took a deep dive into the topic of insulin resistance.
It is well known that type 2 diabetes is becoming more and more prevalent.
Moreover, about
98 million Americans – one in three adults – have prediabetes, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although more than eight in ten
don’t know they have it. Like diabetes, prediabetes happens when the cells
cannot absorb glucose,
or blood sugar, causing it to build up in the blood. In prediabetes, glucose
levels are higher than usual but not high enough to indicate diabetes.
Diabetes and prediabetes are caused by
insulin resistance, but many people have insulin resistance without an official
diagnosis. Indeed, insulin resistance is an epidemic that is driving many of
the chronic diseases in the country, including heart attack, hardening of the
arteries (atherosclerosis), strokes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver,
kidney disease, depression/anxiety, Alzheimer’s, glaucoma, gout, and high blood
pressure.
What Is Insulin Resistance?
All carbohydrates, whether pasta, rice,
potatoes, corn, grains, or a candy bar, are broken down into glucose once they
hit the bloodstream. Cells use glucose to produce energy, and insulin is the
key that ushers the glucose into the cell. When we overload the system with
carbohydrates, year after year, the release of insulin is constantly being
triggered to deal with the sugar surge and return the body to equilibrium. It’s
like the boy who cries wolf over and over again. At first the pancreas secretes
more insulin, but eventually the cells become “deaf” to the insulin and won’t
accept it anymore. Over time, the body becomes conditioned to start producing
insulin as soon as a person opens his or her mouth as the pancreas prepares for
another carb onslaught.
The ability of the
pancreas to increase insulin production means that insulin resistance alone
won’t have any symptoms at first. To diagnose diabetes, doctors usually measure
glucose in the blood, but once glucose levels are elevated, it’s pretty far
gone. A much better indicator is a fasting insulin test because the real
question is how much insulin your pancreas is pumping out to keep the sugars
down. This test it is not standard practice, but it can be requested.
Having all this insulin in the blood is
not a good situation. Among many other effects, insulin blocks the body from
using other forms of energy, such as stored fat, making it virtually impossible
to lose weight. It takes 15 to 20 years of eating the Standard American Diet
(SAD) to get diabetes. The SAD diet prevalent in the U.S. consists of
ultra-processed foods, added sugar, grains, fat, and sodium, along with low
consumption of fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
Enter: Ketones
Prediabetes is reversible, and scientists
are now saying that type 2 diabetes may be reversible in some people; if you
take steps to reduce your insulin levels, you can get your insulin sensitivity
back. The secret is to change your diet so that the body is using a different
form of energy.
Many people think that they must have
carbohydrates for energy since the body’s main energy comes from glucose, which
is metabolized from carbohydrates. But the body can produce glucose on its own
without eating anything. This happens when someone is under a lot of stress.
The adrenal glands secrete cortisol, the fight-or-flight hormone, which
triggers the release of sugar from the liver for fast energy. Unfortunately, if
the person becomes paralyzed by fear or anxiety and doesn’t move or do anything
to use up the extra glucose, the extra sugar in the blood elevates insulin
levels. This is how, aside from eating, lifestyle can contribute to insulin
resistance.
There is another source of energy for the
body, called ketones. Ketones are acids that are produced when your body breaks
down fats. They are a steady and cleaner energy source for the cells. Glucose
is like burning pinecones in a fire instead of a log. The sparks from the cones
provide a short-term burst of energy but cause a lot of damage to the cell.
This keeps you feeling hungry an hour after eating, and you will keep eating
until your protein needs are satisfied. But, by following the food plan below, your
main energy source will come from ketones.
You will know you are in “ketosis” –
meaning that your body is burning ketones rather than glucose – when you can go
longer between meals and not feel starving for snacks. Within a week of
transitioning from glucose energy to ketones, you will urinate a lot as the
body releases all the water that carbs make you retain. So initially, there
will be rapid weight loss. You will lose electrolytes, however, which may cause
you to experience the “keto flu” and feel dizzy, hot, and nauseous for one or
two days. You need to replenish these electrolytes with an electrolyte drink (I
like FlavCity Electrolytes Powder Packets, available on Amazon, but beware of
brands like Gatorade, which have added sugar.)
The idea is to get 30 grams of protein at
every meal: e.g., 1 cup cottage cheese, half a chicken breast, 5 ounces of
meat, 5 ounces of salmon or tuna, or a half cup of cooked lentils. Healthy fats
at every meal are important, too, including olives, avocado slices, nuts, and
seeds. Your body needs fat. It helps you feel more satisfied and keep up your
youthful look. Low-fat diets make people look old. Olive oil is excellent, but
never heat it; rather, add it to salads and vegetables after they are cooked.
Use avocado oil, with its higher smoke point, for sautéing. Finally, make sure
you eat lots of non-starchy vegetables for vitamins and fiber. They too keep
you satisfied and crowd out the bad foods. After a few days, cravings for sugar
and carbs will disappear.
Timing your Eating
When you eat also
affects insulin resistance. Narrow the eating window to as close to eight hours
as possible. For example, eat from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Generally, when the sun sets, you’re done eating. Front-loading calories at the
beginning of the day is a good idea because the body can break the food down
properly. Eating at night before bed is more likely to turn into fat; food
doesn’t get digested the same. The body will always prioritize digestion for
its survival. When your house doorbell rings every five minutes with a new
package, you will constantly be at the front door opening packages and finding
a place to store them. Meanwhile, your closets in the basement need attention,
and the washing machine is leaking, but you can’t get down there to deal with
these issues. Likewise, when you give your body a break from digestion, the
body will start cleaning up and removing viruses, cancer cells, and other
cellular garbage. This process is called “autophagy” and prevents illness from
building up in the body.
There are many benefits
to a keto diet, but diabetics should consult with their doctors when embarking
on this to make sure their medications are adjusted properly. Also, in diabetics, too many ketones can
cause ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition that requires prompt
treatment. Finally, since fat cells trap toxins in them when they
are created, be sure to consult a doctor if there’s a significant weight loss
needed in order to safely deal with the toxins that will be released into the
bloodstream.
Following the diet does get
easier, and after a while, you most probably will be able to skip meals and not
even feel hungry. If weight loss is your goal, you may have to fast one or two
days a week until 4:00. This will not be such a big deal if you’ve been doing
the 30 grams of protein at each meal for a while. Don’t just look at the scale,
if your clothes fit better, it’s a sign you are on the right track. Once you
reach your weight goals and if you exercise, you will have more flexibility to
increase your carbs. This is a reset.
