Blood Sugar, Diabetes, and Insulin Resistance
Put down that package of snack cakes and pour out your soda. Not controlling your blood sugar is an even bigger health risk than you probably realize.
A recent study has predicted that half of all Americans will develop insulin resistance, a form of so-called pre-diabetes. And this condition can put you at risk for all sorts of problems including heart attacks and a higher chance of death if you wind up in the hospital.
Doctors think that if they could find a way to treat insulin resistance, they could reduce heart attacks by 42 percent.
Treating the symptoms is okay. But what about preventing them before they happen at all?
Any doctor worth his salt will tell you that diet and exercise are the two most important factors when it comes to preventing Type 2 diabetes and all the insulin resistance that leads up to it.
You need at least 30 minutes of exercise every day -- whether it's a walk, a jog, a bike ride, or dancing. As far as your diet goes -- that's a huge topic, but what it all boils down to is eating the right amounts of the right things every day, while cutting out the bad stuff, like sugary colas, trans fats, and prepackaged junk food. I know it doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but with the right recipes and the right mindset, it actually can be.
Shoot for five servings of fruits and vegetables (preferably organic and locally grown), and stick to lean, grass-fed (and preferably locally raised) meats. And, if you're really trying to cut your blood sugar, you might start with limiting (but not cutting out entirely) your carbohydrate intake. Certain carbs like white bread and sugary desserts can cause a quick spike in your blood sugar levels, which sets of a chain of events that ends in an increased storage of fat and higher disease risk. broken.
