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Insulin and Weight Loss:
Understanding The Very
Important Role that Insulin Plays in Maintaining a Healthy Weight Level
Insulin is a very important hormone in all human beings - not just those
with diabetes mellitus. Every person on the planet needs insulin in order to
regulate the proper absorption of glucose. Glucose is a
sugar that your body
uses as its primary source of fuel for all types of cellular activity. When
we ingest foods, our pancreases release insulin into our bloodstreams. The
insulin acts to allow glucose to enter into individual cells. As the cells
use this glucose to fuel their activities, the amount of glucose in your
bloodstream is reduced. Having an excess of
glucose in your blood for
extended periods of time can be very detrimental.
How Insulin Relates to Weight Management
For those of us who are trying to lose weight, it is very important to
develop an understanding of how insulin can accommodate, or negate, our
efforts. It all has to do with the glycemic value of the
carbohydrates that
we take in. Monosaccharides are
simple sugar carbohydrates that have a
high glycemic value. When we ingest these simple carbohydrates, the pancreas is
prompted to produce and release insulin rapidly so that all of the sugars
are pushed out of our bloodstream. Remember, it's not good to have
too much
sugar circulating around in your blood. The insulin acts to push the sugars
into all available cellular structures - including fat cells, making them
grow.
On the other hand, complex carbohydrates, such as those found in
whole grain
foods like rice, oats,
cereals and breads, have a
low glycemic value. These
foods cause the glucose levels in your blood to rise more slowly. This in
turn sends the pancreas a much more manageable signal concerning the release
of insulin. The overall result is that more of the foods that you eat are
able to be metabolized and assimilated more efficiently. More of the glucose
that is derived from these food sources is pushed into the cellular
structures that need it for energy. Less of the glucose circulating in your
bloodstream is pushed into your fat cells. In a nutshell, this means that
you are using the energies derived from the foods that you eat to
fuel your
life - instead of storing them as a surplus of fat.
Low glycemic value complex carbohydrates are what your body needs!
Other Considerations Concerning Insulin and Weight Loss
Lipoprotein lipase is an enzyme that prohibits fat cells from removing
triglycerides. Triglyceride removal is necessary for effective weight loss
and for increasing overall health levels. Insulin activates lipoprotein
lipase. In addition, insulin acts as an inhibitor to a different enzyme
called sensitive lipase. Sensitive lipase is primarily responsible for
metabolizing fats that have been
stored throughout your body. What this
means is that during physical activity, especially intentional exercise for
weight loss, if your insulin levels are high, then you will be
burning the
glucose that is stored in your cellular structures - not that which is
stored in your fat cells. That's not the goal!
Exercising with high insulin levels creates very few desirable results
concerning weight loss.
So what is the solution?
As with almost all issues concerning the optimization of human
health, the
solution is to very attentively dictate your food intake program. You need
to choose the foods that you consume based on their abilities to accommodate
your need for efficient and well-regulated glucose absorption. That means
that you need to concentrate on the following food types:
-
High-quality, low glycemic value complex carbohydrates;
-
High-quality, low saturated fat/trans fat proteins;
-
High quality, healthy fat sources like omega-3 fatty acids;
And just where do I get these quality carbohydrates, proteins and fatty
acids from?
To optimize your health, regulate your glucose absorption, enhance the
efficient manufacturing and release patterns of insulin - and help yourself
to lose the weight that you desire, you need to base your
food intake
program on the following food types:
-
Whole grain foods like unbleached, long grain rice, oats, breads, cereals
and more;
-
Any and all fresh vegetables;
-
Fresh fruits -
organic if desired;
-
Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like avocados, sardines, salmon,
canola oil, olive oil, tuna, flax seeds, delicious lake trout and more;
-
Nonfat or low-fat dairy products;
In addition, you should always be sure to:
-
Concentrate on foods that are high in potassium;
-
Avoid foods that are high in sodium;
-
Choose only the leanest cuts of animal muscle - and maybe avoid animal organs
completely;
-
Drink
plenty of cool, crisp water every day.
Avoid the following:
-
Excessive amounts of alcohol;
-
Caffeinated drinks like soda, coffee and
energy drinks;
-
Every single fast food restaurant that you see;
-
Processed foods;
-
Microwavable foods;
-
Packaged and prepared foods loaded with preservatives and MSG;
-
Fried and especially deep-fried foods;
-
Bleached flour and bleached sugar foods.
Understanding the important role that insulin plays in regulating the levels
of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment is imperative to the
success of your weight loss goals. If you're loading your body up with high glycemic value foods, then you should not expect to lose the weight that you
desire to. Exercise alone is not enough - although it is profoundly
important. You must develop a comprehensive plan based on holistically
healthy food intake choices, daily bouts of semi-strenuous physical
activity, daily flushing with life-enhancing purified water and effective
stress management techniques. That is the recipe for effective weight loss
and long-enduring, healthy weight management.
The Main Role Of Hormones losing
weight
Leptins Hormone
Role in Hunger
Hormones - What's in your blood?
You must seek approval from your doctor
before starting any new diet.
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