Correcting Insulin Resistance:
Preventing and Treating Chronic
Disease
Who Are We?
• Naturopathic Doctors
– 4-year doctorate program – Licensed in 16 states
• Holistic Natural Health Care
– Stimulate and support the body’s own healing process
– Address the causesor obstaclesto healing – Nutrition, Lifestyle, Herbalogy, Homeopathy
Our Mission
To improve the health of individuals, the
community, and the world at large
through education, empowerment, and
compassion.
Naturopathic Health Care
• Treat by supporting the body’s healing process • Find and address causes of disease and obstacles
to cure
• Use the least force necessary
• Education, independence, and responsibility • Treat the whole person, not just parts • Prevent disease and promote optimal health
What is Insulin?
• A
Hormone
made by your Pancreas
• Controls metabolism (go into storage
mode)
• Allows sugars (glucose) into the cells to
be used
• Stores energy for later use (fat)
Normal Effects of Insulin
• Tells most cells to allow sugar inside
• Stop burning fat and use sugar as energy
• Store excess sugar (mostly as fat)
• Decreases effects of Growth Hormone
• Decreases effects of Thyroid Hormone
When is Insulin Released?
• In response to sugar entering the blood.
– This occurs after eating carbohydrates –Anycarbohydrates!! Complex carbohydrates
increase insulin levels.
– Complex carbohydrates mixed with fat and proteinslows down absorption the most.
• Slower absorption means less insulin at once.
• Also occurs some in response to sweet
tastes.
Insulin Resistance
• The cells that require insulin stop
listening.
• Like my response to telemarketers
• Eventually develop type 2 diabetes if not
checked.
Problems with High Insulin
• Abdominal weight gain
• Wasting of lean muscle mass (weakness)
• Increased inflammation
• Increased rates of heart disease
• Increased tumor formation and growth
• Oxidation of tissues not resistant to
insulin (kidney, eyes, nerves, blood
vessels)
Problems with High Insulin
(continued)
• Inhibits thyroid hormone (fatigue, weight
gain, dry skin, etc)
• Inhibits growth hormone (decreased
repair)
• High uric acid levels (gout)
• Vision changes (especially near-sighted)
• Acne
• Early menarche
• Excessive bone growth (really tall people)
Heart Disease
• Increased inflammation
• Thickening of blood
• Increased triglycerides and low HDL in
blood
• Smaller LDL particle size
• These lead to plaques and inflammation in
the arteries and eventually heart attack
and/or strokes.
Cancer
• High insulin leads to increased oxidation which increases likelihood of a cancerous cell forming. • Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases
growth of cancers
• Increased insulin and IGF-1 associated with cancers of breast, prostate, colon, endometrium(uterus)
• Also associated with benign growth such as
Causes of Insulin Resistance
• Genetic predisposition
– 25% highly-prone, 40% moderately prone
• Too much carbohydrate in the diet
• Decreased binding on cell membranes:
– Deficiency of omega-3 fats in the diet – High omega-6:omega-3 ratio
• Too many vegetable oils and processed food
– Trans-fatty acids
Causes of Insulin Resistance
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
(especially chromium)
• Lack of exercise
• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• Nicotine
Causes of Insulin Resistance
Summary:
Insulin resistance is the result of our sugar
addicted, sedentary, stressful lifestyles
while eating highly processed, nutrient
depleted foods.
“Earth should be renamed Sucrosia”
- Paul Bergner
Correcting Insulin Resistance
• Live more like our distant (or not so distant) ancestors:
– Eat real foods
– Exercise daily – especially burst exercise
– Eat (or supplement) small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids
– Eat plenty of saturated fats – Decrease stress levels – Get plenty of sleep
– Eat or supplement chromium, magnesium, zinc, and B-vitamins
– Stop smoking
Exercise
• Get up and move!!
– Especially 1-2 hours after a meal. – Burst exercise almost instantly removes
glucose and insulin from the blood
• Fast walk up a hill • Sprinting
• Intense calisthenics
– Muscles that get used become less insulin resistant.
Stress and Sleep
• Take a walk, exercise, prayer, meditation,
quality leisure time, journaling.
– Stress increases cortisol levels which directly increases glucose and insulin levels
• Sleep deprivation has a direct effect on
insulin resistance
Vitamins and Minerals
• Chromium is required for binding of
insulin to cells—it is the only known use of
chromium
• Zinc, magnesium, and B-vitamins are
directly or indirectly related to insulin’s
proper function.
• Get these in your food or supplement
Stop Smoking
• Nicotine increases insulin resistance
– This is a major reason nicotine increases risk of heart disease and cancer (among other things)
Conclusion
Correcting insulin resistance is a journey
requiring major changes in lifestyle,
kicking bad habits and addiction, and
getting off the couch to get some
exercise.
You will be living as people are supposed to
live and eat as people are supposed to eat.
Resources
• My Handout – overall summary of today’s
topics
•
The Schwarzbein Principle
by Diana
Schwarzbein
– My recommended book on understanding insulin-resistance, its effects on your health, and correcting it using diet
– I disagree with her regarding hormone-replacement therapy, soy, and a few other topics
Intermission
Real Foods
• Real foods as our ancestors ate:
– Truly organic and its equivalent
– Animals that live like the animal should live
• Grass-fed beef, free-roaming poultry (and their eggs), wild fish, wild game, some dairy
– Lots of vegetables from nutrient-dense soils
• Especially greens
– Whole fruits in season especially the berries – Beans and grains soaked and slow-cooked – Nuts and seeds
– Nutritious broths
Balanced Diet
What would you eat if there were no grocery stores?
Lots of greens, roots, meat, eggs, fish, some grains and beans, berries in season or dried in small amounts, seeds
Bread is a luxury that requires lots of work. It would be a rare treat.
I highly disagree with the food pyramid—eating their recommended carbohydrates leads to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Fats
• Get omega-3 fats in your diet:
– Cod-liver oil (with vitamin D) – Fish oil
– Flax seeds – Walnuts
– Wild cold-water fish (salmon, halibut, tuna) – Free-roaming chicken eggs
• Get plenty of traditional saturated fats
– Coconut, butter, animal fats
• Builds strong cell membranes that allow binding of insulin
• Avoid refined vegetable oils (corn, soy, cottonseed, canola, safflower)
Carbohydrates
• Eat low-glycemic foods and only with
protein and fat
• Carbohydrate functions mainly as fuel.
• Carbohydrate intake should depend on
activity levels and conditioning.
0-15 0-15 7.5-15 7.5 Snack 30-40 15-30 15 15 Meal Overweight especially around midsection 0-7.5 0-15 0-15 7.5-15 Snack 45-60 30 15-30 15 Meal Slightly overweight esp. around midsection
0-15 0-7.5 0-7.5 15 Snack 45-60 30-45 30 15-30 Meal Normal Body
Composition with fat around midsection 0-30 0-30 0-7.5 0-7.5 Snack 45-75 30-60 30-45 30 Meal Normal Body Composition 0-30 0-30 0-15 0-15 Snack 45-80 30-60 30-45 30 Meal Underweight Extremely Active Active Somewhat Active Sedentary
Carbohydrate Table
Sample Breakfast
• ½ cup cooked corn grits
• 2 pasture-raised eggs (cooked in organic
butter)
• ½ cup sautéed collards (also cooked in
butter)
• 15 grams of carbohydrate total
Sample Lunch
• Stew with:
– 1/3 cup of soaked and cooked navy beans – 2-3 ounces grass-fed beef
– Stewed onion, carrot, celery, and beet greens – Seasoned with plenty of herbs and spices
• Salad of lettuce, grated beets, carrots, and celery root
– Dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and herbs
Sample Dinner
• 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
• Lots of sautéed or steamed vegetables • Organic or pasture-raised chicken breast
sautéed or baked with the skin (we want that fat)
• Add a handful of dried cranberries or raisins
• 15 grams carbohydrate (a little more with the cranberries)
Getting Started
• Start with one meal (breakfast)
– Think about what you eat right now – Total the carbohydrates
– Adjust the recipe/menu to keep the carbohydrates at an appropriate level
• If that is not possible, abandon that menu
– Add in good fats and proteins to keep the calories high enough so you are satisfied
What about Dessert?
• Get some sweet with your meals and you will have less cravings for sugar.
• Choose desserts that have plenty of good fats to offset the sugar.
– Homemade cheese cake – Nuts with dried fruit – Homemade ice cream
– Fresh fruit and yogurt sweetened with maple syrup
• Eat dessert occasionally and enjoy the heck out of it.
Any Questions?
Resources
• My Handouts – overall summary of today’s
topics along with carbohydrate tables
•
The Schwarzbein Principle
by Diana
Schwarzbein
– My recommended book on understanding insulin-resistance, its effects on your health, and correcting it using diet
– I disagree with her regarding hormone-replacement therapy, soy, and a few other topics
