Tag: Wellness

Categories
Health

Insulin Resistance

…The precursor to diabetes and other chronic diseases!

Diabetes is a huge health problem worldwide, with numbers affected expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Given that it’s expensive to control (average cost in North America is $10,700CDN or $7,811USD yearly per person) and is a risk factor for other diseases like heart disease and obesity, it will increasingly contribute rising health costs and health risk in the future. Currently, according to the International Diabetes Federation 2024 statistics, 589 million adults worldwide are living with diabetes and this number is predicted to rise by 45% to 853 million by 2050. Already treatment of diabetes consumes approximately 12% of the global health budget.

In North America, 1 in 7 adults have diabetes, and 1 in 3 are not diagnosed. We have one of the highest prevalence in the world at 15.1% of the population. One in 4 live births are affected by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), a potentially significant effect on the next generation.

Why is this happening?

Diabetes develops when our insulin stops working properly. This can happen relatively quickly, as in Type 1 (“early onset’, autoimmune) diabetes where the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas, or more slowly over years, as in Type 2 (“adult onset”, lifestyle related) diabetes where the body becomes resistant to the action of insulin (“insulin resistance”) requiring increased production of insulin to control blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is only diagnosed once our insulin production can no longer keep blood sugar within the normal range and sugar levels become higher than normal even when fasting. The advancement of insulin resistance to diabetes generally takes several years.

What surprises me is that doctors don’t look for increases in fasting insulin, the test that would tell us that we are becoming insulin resistant and are on the path to developing diabetes. When I first read about this, I asked my doctor for this relatively inexpensive blood test (compared to the cost of treating diabetes!). I was told that there was “no protocol” for testing blood insulin levels. It seems that doctors are discouraged from doing additional testing, even if it could predict the development of a very expensive disease.

This just doesn’t make sense to me on multiple levels: increased blood insulin causes inflammation, and this is now believed to be the root cause of many diseases like heart disease, obesity, fatty liver disease, Alzheimers and other dementias, hormone imbalances, and cancer), as well as diabetes. If we can predict and reverse this years before it develops, why aren’t we doing it?

So, what causes insulin resistance?

Like all hormones, insulin is released in one part of the body (the pancrease produces insulin) and works in another part of the body by attaching to a receptor. Just like staring at a bright light fatigues the light receptors in the retina of the eye causing you to see dark spots for a short time when you look away, lots of insulin in the blood can cause the insulin receptors to become resistant to the action of insulin. Insulin production is triggered by sugar in the blood and even the anticipation of eating something sweet.

One thing I notice when travelling in Europe, is how much less sweet the diet is — even the “sweets” are usually less sweet tasting. We have an amazingly sugar-sweetened diet in North America. Even foods that are not normally sweet have sugar added to them during processing. At the same time, fiber is being removed or ground up enough to make it ineffective. Fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates from sugar and starches (starch is turned to sugar when digested), so eating fiber along with your carbs reduces the spike of blood sugar that demands higher insulin production. These are the reasons why whole foods are healthier than juices and processed foods. I was surprised when I read years ago that pulp-free fruit juices are as unhealthy as soda pop — they both contain sugar without any fiber and will raise blood sugar and insulin.

Your taste and perception of what is satisfying is influenced by your diet. A high sugar diet can result in cravings for sugar and perception that less-sweetened foods are bland. But your taste will adjust quite quickly to a lower sugar intake, I guess you could say more sensitivity to the taste of sugar, and you’ll start to prefer less sweet foods and find sweet treats you formerly enjoyed to be far too sweet for your taste!

What to do about all this…

First we need to reduce the amount of carbohydrates we are eating and replace some of them with fiber and protein. Realize that starches (flour, potatoes, etc) are broken down into sugars when digested. Remember that fiber slows the absorption of sugars, reducing the damage. Note that the “keto” diet generally counts “net carbohydrates”, a number that is calculated by subtracting grams of fiber in the food from the total grams of carbohydrate, taking into account the effect of fiber in foods.

Second, choose whole foods rather than processed ones. Food processing removes fiber and adds sugars, fats and all kinds of chemicals that we can’t even pronounce, let along understand what they do in the body. These chemicals are included to preserve the shelf life of the product or make it look nice, not to improve our health!

Third, get outdoors and exercise. Exercise has been described as the “silver bullet” for avoiding and controlling diabetes, as it lowers blood sugar (using it up for energy) along with the many other health benefits it gives us. Being outside is a great stress reducer, and stress hormones increase blood sugar — the stress response physically prepares us for “fight or flight”… to fight off a perceived danger or run away from it!

Fourth, if you have access to your blood lipid tests, you can do a calculation that can indirectly tell you if you may have become insulin resistant using an online Triglyceride to HDL calculator. You will need your blood triglyceride and your HDL-cholesterol measurements (included in a full lipid panel). I’ll post links to one of these calculators in the References below. Fill in your cholesterol numbers in the boxes in the center of the page, being sure to correct the units to mmol/L if you live outside the US. Scroll down on the right to find an explanation of the results, again being careful to read the explanation for mmol/L if your test was done outside the US.

Why worry??

Researchers are telling us that more than 50% of us in North America have some level of insulin resistance. Some have stated they believe that number may be more like 85% of the population in parts of North America. These people are all at high risk of developing diabetes and the diseases associated with raised insulin blood levels. While we will often read that obesity causes heart disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, etc., researchers are now telling us it’s more accurate to say that all of these diseases have a common cause… and that cause is high levels of insulin due to insulin resistance. The damage caused by elevated insulin starts long before diabetes is diagnosed, and the prevention of these diseases needs to start much sooner, not waiting for blood sugar to increase and for Hemoglobin A1c test to show that it’s staying elevated enough to see extra sugar attached to the hemoglobin in our red blood cells.

Type 2 diabetes was once called “adult onset” diabetes as it was only seen in adults. Now, this type of diabetes is increasing in teenagers and even at younger ages. Our processed, high sugar diet and sedentary lifestyles are catching up with our children too. Insulin resistance is starting earlier in life.

Often doctors don’t bother warning us when signs of fatty liver are detected now as “almost all of [their] patients have it”. Perhaps it would be the same with insulin resistance, even if they did test for it, if over half of us have it. But, for me, if I knew that I was at high risk of developing diabetes and that the process had already begun, that would be motivation enough to change my lifestyle. Heck, we have made major changes since my hubby had his first heart attack in 2004. When it’s that important, most of us will gradually make the needed changes.

Call me the “keto queen” if you want… the keto diet, along with more walking and avoiding processed foods, seems to be the best way I’ve learned to reduce our risk of developing insulin resistance. At my husband’s last cardiologist appointment, the doctor said his major arteries were clear and to keep on doing what we’ve been doing. Hopefully we’re continuing to gradually reduce his risk of another episode.

Post note: On further thought, I’ve decided to create a separate list of people who are interested in seeing more of my art side, rather than subject those who are more interested in health news and controversies to the art world (although I couldn’t resist adding a fun sketch of my hubby, done after a visit to the Picasso Museum!) So, if you’d like to be added to my Art Priority List where I’ll reveal my creations first and share the stories behind the art, send me a message at jeannie.beaudin@gmail.com and I’ll add you to the list!

References:
Triglyceride to HDL calculator — units are set for mg/dL (US units). Be sure to reset for Canadian Standard International Units (mmol/L) if you are outside the US: https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/cholesterol-ratio

International Diabetes Federation statistics: Https://diabetesatlas.com

Dr. Ben Bikman, PhD, Metabolism researcher, author of “Insulin-IQ” podcast, and “Why We Get Sick” – the link between metabolism and chronic disease: https://benbikman.com

Categories
Health

It's OK to Complain…especially when you're sick!

How are you?

Sometimes the polite answer to “How are you?” isn’t the one you should give – if it’s your doctor or a concerned family member who is asking. My mom, never one to complain, would always answer “Fine, thank you” whether she was feeling well or not. In later years, after the onset of rheumatoid arthritis when she really wasn’t feeling well at all, her answer changed to “Not too bad, thanks”. For her, I believe this probably led to a delay in treatment.

Many people will say they’re fine when they really aren’t – not wanting to be seen as a complainer – but there’s a way to say you’re not at your best without being whiny and to ask for help when you need it. Yesterday, at the milk cooler in the grocery store, an elderly woman asked if I might pass her a quart of milk – it was on the top shelf and I could see, from the way she was using the grocery cart for support, that she had some physical disabilities. Shoulder arthritis may have been one, balance might have been another. I was happy to help her out.

Staying composed

Our society values composure, especially in women. Being poised, regardless of the situation, is considered a virtue, a talent. At the opposite end of the spectrum, simply pouring out emotions with the goal of “purging” may not be the answer either. I think something between, expressing emotions or discussing problems with a trusted person, is a better plan especially when the goal is to work out a solution or at least a next step to take. Depending on the nature of the health problem, this person could be a sympathetic friend, family member or a healthcare professional.

Stress and muscles

Holding in emotions can actually affect your health. Hilary Jacobs Hendel, author of It’s Not Always Depression, describes how we change our breathing and contract certain muscles when we suppress emotions. Tension headaches are a result of spasms of muscles in the scalp, and many problems with back pain originate with muscle spasms along the spine or in the hip muscles. Dr. John Sarno, a rehab specialist physician in New York (now retired), has written extensively about the association between stress and back pain. He has noted that many of his patients would improve once they realized the likely origin of their back pain, especially when no structural cause could be found. He has suggested that the brain shunts blood away from an area of the body, creating pain and spasms, to distract us from the stress or emotion we want to suppress. Certainly an interesting explanation!

I’ve noticed that I carry my tension in my shoulders – usually I don’t even notice I’m tightening my shoulder muscles until they become achy and painful. The body systems that our subconscious brain chooses to block when we’re stressed vary from person to person, resulting in back or shoulder pain for some, headaches, or digestive problems for others. But even when the pain originates with an emotion, the pain is real and can be extreme.

And more…

Suppressing emotions can also cause other problems. Hendel says “Learning to be extremely composed meant we had to suppress natural, primal emotions, and blocking core emotions over time contributes to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and even addiction.” We can probably add cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases and maybe cancer and others to that list. Often, women choose composure and suppression of emotions rather than risk being labelled hysterical (note that “hyster” refers to anything concerning the uterus…). Generations ago, women’s emotions were thought to be associated with their hormonal cycle, hence the term “hysterical” – blame it all on the uterus! She notes that women in particular are at risk of feeling pressured not to express their pain, and observed in her 2001 study that women are more likely to have pain dismissed even by healthcare professionals as “emotional” or “psychogenic” (created by the mind) and, therefore, “not real.”

None of us are fine all the time. The harm to our health occurs when we keep up a stoic front, a “stiff upper lip”, and don’t seek the help we need for physical or emotional difficulties soon enough. The idea that you can and should distinguish between things you can control and those you cannot is a powerful way to cope when you really aren’t fine. Working on things you can change and getting help, when necessary, with those you cannot is a solid strategy to gain control of your life and help prevent stress-related illnesses.

References:

When Staying Composed Harms Your Health – Medium.com

It’s Not Always Depression – Hilary Jacobe Hendel

Healing Back Pain – Dr. John Sarno

Categories
Health

Finding Wellness

What does Wellness mean to you? The World Health Organization defines it as: “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” It involves consciously making improvements to lifestyle, outlook, environment, belief systems and values to achieve your full potential and to help those around you do the same at home, in the workplace and in the community.

However, if you search the internet, you will find two types of “wellness” advice:

  • Information on wellness (sometimes referred to as lower case “wellness”) …solid advice on ways to promote health and prevent illness, backed by scientific evidence. It includes good nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress reduction and more, and essentially means the opposite of illness.

  • Promotional material on Wellness Products (Wellness with a capital “W”) …products often making pseudo-scientific health claims with sketchy proof and often marketed with a high price tag! The Wellness business is a billion-dollar industry…

How can you tell the difference when you’re reading a web page? I use two simple ways:

1. Who posted the information?

Is the web page associated with a large health organization, government or university? The goal of these organizations is generally to share information and promote public health. They have no financial incentive to hide negative information or exaggerate the positive effects of a wellness strategy.

Does the author have any credentials or experience as a health professional? While credentials are not entirely necessary (a good writer will get all the facts and present them in an unbiased way), it means they will likely have better background knowledge.

Where did the information originate? Look for references. Is it backed by scientific studies? A well referenced web page will have links to background studies that support what they are saying. Studies usually have a little summary at the beginning, called an “abstract” that is a brief description of the study. I also look at where it was published – many large medical organizations publish journals with information for their members that usually well researched.

2. Who paid for it?

The second thing I look for on a web page is, who paid to publicize the information, and whose advertising is displayed with the article. I learned a good lesson over 20 years ago when the internet was just starting up. The doctors next door asked if I could supply them with information about the herbal medicine, St. John’s Wort. I quickly found what looked like a perfect article on the internet. My pharmacy student, who was more tech-savvy than me, didn’t say a word…she just scrolled down and pointed to the advertisement for St. John’s Wort. An “aha” moment for me!

With a more critical look, I noticed the site described the herb as “safer than aspirin” and, while many would interpret this as saying it is very safe, as a pharmacist I know that aspirin can cause internal bleeding in some people. The site wasn’t being open and honest in an effort to increase sales, and chances were good they were hiding other important, but negative, information. I subscribed to an independent herbal website after that so I could easily access unbiased information about natural medicines.

So, whether your reason for looking for wellness information or alternative medicines is wanting to stay healthy and active as you age, or to address a need that is unmet by the medical system, don’t be taken in by marketing strategies for Wellness products. Know that a vitamin is a vitamin – they are all the same chemical structure – so there is no reason to pay $90 for a month’s supply when you can always buy good quality vitamins from a reputable manufacturer at your local pharmacy. When looking for health information on the internet, choose an academic or health-center site rather than one sponsored by a product manufacturer. Know when you’re being marketed to and be a savvy shopper.

But also make sure any alternative treatment is an addition to good medical care and not a replacement for it. Consider natural treatments as complementary to your medical treatment rather than a true “alternative”. Nothing can replace good medical care.

So, talk to your doctor about any non-prescription medications you are taking, even if they are being recommended by another health professional. While they may not have learned about it in medical school, they can help you evaluate the information you are reading and ensure there is no interference with any health condition you may have. Your pharmacist may be your most accessible health professional and they can help ensure you avoid conflicts with medications you are already taking. They also have access to scientific references on alternative and complementary products. Ask if they can find some solid information to share with you.

Talking with your doctor and pharmacist about non-prescription choices is a great way to start a conversation around your health goals and how best to achieve them. The internet can be a wonderful source of information but it’s best when used in consultation with your doctors, pharmacists, and other health professionals.

References:

The Self-Care Paradox

Definitions of Wellness