This week, I have a bit of a different vibe for the blog- no motivational quotes! Shocking, I know. In this post, I am going to be taking a deep dive into the science side of things a little bit. Bare with me, it’s going to get a little educational…
Throughout school, one of my favorite classes was pharmacology. Pharmacology breaks down the science behind how exactly a drug affects the body. A major focus during my pharmacology course was of course, insulin. Stick with me here, because we’re about to jump into a little science, but I promise you I have a point.
In 1889, Oskar Minkowski discovered that the pancreas aids in digestion and produces hormones to regulate blood sugar. Patients with diabetes began being treated with strict low calorie diets, as their pancreas could not produce the hormone needed to breakdown glucose. Despite this early discovery, it would take until the 1920s to truly create a usable insulin that would change the world. Today, insulin is widely available, changing diabetes from a death sentence to a manageable disease. Type two diabetes mellitus is even more manageable than type one; type two diabetes may even be reversible through proper diet and exercise (Turner, 2010).
Check it out! Now you know the brief history of the discovery of insulin. However, did you read that last sentence? Read it once more. How incredible is the finding that type two diabetes may be reversible through proper diet and exercise? Why is this not more widely known? I think to an extent it sounds too good to be true, and to another extent, pharmacology companies don’t want us to stop buying their drugs. Let’s kind of circle back to wellness for a moment, though.
A healthy, well balanced diet and exercise are essential to survival, period. So, why am I talking about insulin? Insulin resistance can affect us all, diabetic or not. There aren’t any textbook signs or symptoms of insulin resistance, either. In a nutshell, insulin resistance causes your muscles, fat and liver cells to not respond properly to insulin. They can’t effectively absorb glucose from the bloodstream, which sends messages to make more insulin and you become more hungry and a cycle of unhealthy eating continues. Despite your body creating more insulin, your cells are resistant to it’s effects, therefore, being mindful of what you’re fueling your body with is key (Dacres-Mannings, 2017).
According to Dr. Sarah Hallberg, there are two essential macronutrients: proteins and fats. Essential amino acids, proteins, and essential fats are the two main macronutrients humans need for survival, the third macronutrient, carbohydrates, is unnecessary. Her research and success regarding low carb diets has taken patients from 300 (+) units of insulin a day to no insulin needed! It is truly remarkable, yet is not widely spread as a treatment option. The process is simple and scientific: decreasing carbs decreases insulin levels, and insulin resistance drops. It is important to note that low carb is not zero carb or high protein, as some fad diets may tell you, low carb focuses on healthy fats. Fat is the only macronutrient that keeps our glucose and insulin levels low (Hallberg, 2015).
While the studies and references in the above paragraph mention taking patient’s off of insulin, etc, the positive effects of a low carb diet can be seen in diabetics and non diabetics alike. Insulin resistance is a common enemy for us all and can lead to other health issues if we aren’t careful.
Ok, ok, that is all the science for today! Not too bad, right? Anyway, I hope you learned something and I hope it helps you think of food a little different. I also would like to mention: it is important to focus on the fact that carbs are NOT the enemy, however moderation is key and the other macronutrients are more important to survival, and overall health and wellness! I will add a Dr. Hallberg’s TED talk at the bottom here, if you feel like diving in a little further.
References
Dacres-Mannings, S. (2017, August 21). Is this the reason you’re not losing weight?: Live better. Medibank Live Better. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/be-magazine/wellbeing/could-you-be-insulin-resistant/
Hallberg, Sarah, TEDx Talks, (2015, May 4). Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines / Sarah Hallberg / TEDxPurdueU (Video). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1vvigy5tQ
Turner, J. (2010, February 1). Novo story of insulin – part 1 – Jim Turner – youtube. Novo Nordisk. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWVuCDQKB5k
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