Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Sometimes, being a little less sweet is a good thing.

This is not a new strategy to get the corner office. No this is about the sweetness of your blood. Or more precisely your blood glucose levels. And keeping it under control can make a big difference to your long term health.

Your blood glucose level goes up and down during the day. The hormone insulin is responsible for clearing the glucose out of your blood when it gets a little too high. And when you rely too much on insulin, you can develop insulin resistance. This means that you will need more insulin in order to get the job done. This is usually the first step towards diabetes.

Just the tip of the iceberg

If you get diagnosed with diabetes, you are more aware of the situation. But did you know that having it a little over the limit for an extended period of time is very detrimental to your health? It silently does its job. And the worst part is that you cannot feel it a all until it is too late.

Endocrinologist, Jeremy Gilbert, MD recently gave a presentation at the clinic. He said that high blood sugar was the number one cause of neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney problems and non-accidental amputations.

Make it win-win

Eating less processed carbohydrates is the first step. But also regular physical activity can be a savior. The research is full of articles on how regular exercise can help you control your blood sugar.  Any activity will help. But this is where a little self butt kicking can make a difference.


The secret is in reducing the level of stored energy in your muscles. So if you are short on time, your exercise session should be intense enough so that you feel a little burning sensation in your muscles. That is the sign that you are burning sugar. By challenging your muscles that way, they will take up what you have in your blood and replenish their store. This is how you make your muscles more sensitive to insulin. And by allowing your muscles to store more, less will go on your hips. Can you say win-win?

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