High school biology you learned that blood sugar levels rise quickly after you eat carbohydrate-rich foods, like sweets, pasta or fruit. That’s because the hormone insulin tells the glucose in the blood to enter cells to be stored or used for energy. Find out how insulin resistance could be putting your health in danger.
Insulin resistance occurs when the cells resist the insulin’s orders. And it may have a genetic component that is triggered by living a sedentary lifestyle or being overweight.
When you’re overweight, cells may fail to respond to insulin. This causes the pancreas to pump out more and more insulin in an effort to overcome the cells’ resistance.
But once the pancreas can no longer keep up with the requirement for more insulin, blood glucose levels rise.
This is a common cause of type 2 diabetes.
simple carbs raise your blood sugar too quickly, and good plant-based fats may help manage insulin and lower “bad” low-density lipoproteins (LDLs).
Rresearchers, like many in the low-carb camp, rely on the glycemic index (GI), a ranking system based on how fast carbohydrate-based foods raise blood glucose.
Foods with a high GI, like white rice and potatoes, produce a faster surge in blood sugar than low GI, fiber-rich foods like apples, beans and cruciferous vegetables.
many researchers and proponents of the glycemic index fail to point out that the GI is also affected by how a food is processed and prepared, and whether it is eaten alone or with a meal.
Nutrition is a science that’s continually changing based on new discoveries and the discrediting of old theories.
In general, the nationwide weight epidemic is the result of too little exercise and too many indulgences. Once you get back to eating more whole foods in the proper portions and exercising daily, you will notice smaller waist sizes.
Here are some smart tips to help you get started.
Exercise regularly.
Focus on high-fiber foods like beans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Limit refined carbs, cookies, cakes, crackers, non-whole grain breads and pasta.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Stop smoking.
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