One to lesson 5 where we will discuss how we get this Metabolic Syndrome I (among others) have dubbed as
'The Phantom Syndrome'.
'The Phantom Syndrome'.
It's also widely known as "Syndrome X". Why do I call it a phantom? Well, many degenerative diseases as well as obesity can be seen and felt. The addictions that lead to this syndrome, however, creep into our lives. Hiding in the shadows waiting to strike, some may even deny of their existence. That is, of course, until it has done enough damage to your body that now it has become very visible. That is what I wish to write about in this lesson. Many don't take this danger seriously enough and that concerns me.
Extreme rises and extreme drops (both at unnatural levels that the body isn't used to) is abusing our insulin production. This is the phantom's power, the core of this syndrome. In this lesson, not
only will you see how this abuse can cause this syndrome but you will also see the consequences to your body. This all doesn't develop overnight you know. It can take years of negligence on our part through our constant abuse on our body. There is hope though. No matter how severe the consequences are, they are reversible and preventable. Many people mistaken some symptoms of this syndrome to a "a naturally slower metabolism" due to aging (or they may even blame their thyroid gland). Let me get something straight, this is not a genetic disorder.
Here are the stages of insulin resistance and how this mysterious phantom does his dirty work;
Stage 1 - Insulin Abuse
Without even knowing it, we could be spiking our blood sugar over 4 times a day. By now, I hope we all know what this does to our body. Let's take a quick look just in case. Insulin (fat storing hormone) is released in large amounts and glucagon(fat burning hormone) is suppressed. This is abusing your pancreas and preventing it from doing the job it was meant to do. The first victim of this abuse is our arteries, especially in our capillaries(smallest arteries; this is where the oxygen and nutrients in the blood supplies your cells with what it needs). The high sugar levels in our blood irritate these arteries and inflammation occurs due to our body's natural response to irritants, infections and injuries. This creates endothelial dysfunction, these arteries no longer function properly.
The Glycemic Stress Concept: Caused by the elevated numbers of free radicals created by all that sugar in our blood. These charged oxygen molecules damages the sensetive lining of the fine capillaries. In regards to this lesson, let us focus on the capillaries in our muscles. In our last lesson we learned that the muscles normally absorb 85-90% of the glucose in our blood and use it as fuel. These fine capillaries become inflamed which causes them to constrict and thicken. When these capillaries constrict, there is less room for anything to get through thus making it difficult for insulin in your blood to pass into the fluid around the cell. A little reminder, insulin is the key that allows sugar (glucose) to enter the cell. The scary part is, this is happening to every one of your capillaries every time you eat a high-glycemic meal or snack.
Here's a fun fact: It has been theorized that there is a total of approximately 100 thousand kilometers of blood vessels (most of which are capillaries). Pull them out and stretch them end to end (do not really try this at home) and you can circle the earth at the equator 2.5 times! Can you imagine what years of this sort of abuse will do to them and your body?
Here's the answer: Stage 2.
Stage 2 - Beginning of Insulin Resistance
With constricted capillaries in place, this creates a virtual barrier in which the insulin can't be transported to the insulin receptor sites of the muscle, fat and liver cells (Importance of the Endothelial Barrier for Insulin-Diabetes Journal 42:1469-1473, 1993). These cells are expecting food (glucose) and without insulin, they cannot absorb the sugar flowing right by them. A signal is sent to the beta cells in the pancreas to produce more insulin. Still not getting through that tight space? Well happens now? It will keep pumping out insulin so it can try to hammer it's way through the inflamed capillaries. Insulin levels now become permanently elevated. The medical term used for this is called "Hyperinsulinemia". Welcome to
the early signs of the one and only "Insulin Resistance". "I hope you don't enjoy your stay". Now that hyperinsulinemia has begun, events start to take place in your body in a domino effect. These changes cannot be stopped without significant lifestyle changes.
Here is a simple blood test that you could have your doctor perform that will tell you if you are anywhere near being insulin resistant. Test for triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Once insulin levels rise, your tryglicerides will rise as well though your HDL levels will drop. Dr. Strand recommends a ratio of 2:1 (Triglycerides:HDL). Anything higher is a sign that you are developping hyperinsulinemia. As if that wasn't enough, at this stage is where central obesity starts to show itself. Another test you can do yourself is to regularly measure your waist (1 inch below belly button) and note any increases.
You may not feel different during this stage, which is why this "phantom" is so elusive and dangerous. You probably won't even notice any changes until you enter stage 3.
Stage 3 - Full-Blown Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X)
As time goes on, your body becomes more resistant to insulin ... which signals your pancreas to pump out more and more insulin to compensate. These elevated levels may lead to some dramatic metabolic consequences:
a)High Blood Pressure
This is the first visible sign of full-blown metabolic syndrome and is treatable by doctors (the symptoms not the cause). Insulin resistance which results in hyperinsulinemia is known to cause an increase in your absorption of sodium in the kidneys which inevitably leads to fluid retention. This will participate in raising your blood pressure. Hyperinsulinemia has also been known to stimulate your sympathetic nervous system (I apologize for all the medical terms but it is necessary to emphasize the importance of this lesson ... please bare with me) which will cause additional constriction of your arteries and, in turn, raise your blood pressure.
b)Dyslipidemia
This is a pattern commonly seen when metabolic syndrome is concerned. The pattern consists of elevated triglycerides, decreasing HDL cholesterol and elevated VLDL (very-low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. VLDL particles are very dangerous companions to have swimming in your blood stream. They can cause further damage to your arteries as they can very easily oxidize.
c)Increased Fibronogen Levels
To put it simply ... The higher these levels are, the easier one tends to "clot" (much easier than we normally should. This increases our risk of heart disease and strokes,
d)Cardiovascular Disease
A heart attack may be the first time you realize that you have a problem with insulin resistance. Unfortunately, one third of the time, the first heart attack or stroke will kill you (and those are only to weapons in it's artillery. This definately can cut precious years to our lives and hurt the ones you love. Do not let anyone try to sugar coat this disease, it should be taken very seriously.
Stage 4 - Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
Unlike God, your body is unforgiving. All this abuse will take it's toll on your body. You will realize this when one day your doctor sits you down and tells you the bad news, "{Enter your name here}, You have Type 2 Diabetes". Let us compare your complicated body to a simple balloon. As you blow air into the balloon, it will adapt to the increased pressure by expanding itself. Though, in the long term, as you keep blowing air into the balloon the latex material it is made of can only stretch so much until it pops (regardless of it's ability to adapt). The "air" in this analogy is sugar and the "latex material" is your pancreas (the balloon is your body). Your pancreas just cannot keep up this high volume production of insulin and will eventually fail (your pancreas' beta-cells just give up due to exhaustion). Blood sugar now begins to rise and type 2 diabetes is starting to make itself confortable in your way of life. Not only are your beta-cells exhausted due to this overproduction but it is also under constant attack due to glucose toxicity.
During my research, I came across a great diabetes awareness site for young children and teenagers.
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with either Type 1 (Juvenile Diabetes) or 2 (Adult Onset Diabetes) , this is an excellent site to get them started on the right track. If they have specifically been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (or you are or know an adult with this disease), I encourage you to stay tuned to this blog and/or buy the book I based these lessons on. As I already mentioned, I am not a doctor so I highly recommend that you listen to your doctor and do exactly what he or she says. Though, at the same time ... keep reading, I am sure you won't be disappointed.
Some people are genetically less prone to damage to the pancreas due to insulin abuse. It just keeps on pumping out insulin as needed. "Lucky them?", you might ask? Not really. We cannot forget the fact that sugar spikes in our blood stream are still damaging your arteries thus increasing their aging process. These people may be safe from diabetes but not from other degenerative diseases (Such as Cardiovascular disease).
An important note is that insulin resistance is one of the primary causes of central obesity, also known as "Killer Fat". Stay tuned for our next lesson where you will see just how dangerous this fat can be.
Until then, here is a little video I found that can be considered a comedic attempt to a trailer for our next lesson.
Take care and God Bless everyone of you!
With compassion,
Frank Musulinaro
Extreme rises and extreme drops (both at unnatural levels that the body isn't used to) is abusing our insulin production. This is the phantom's power, the core of this syndrome. In this lesson, not
only will you see how this abuse can cause this syndrome but you will also see the consequences to your body. This all doesn't develop overnight you know. It can take years of negligence on our part through our constant abuse on our body. There is hope though. No matter how severe the consequences are, they are reversible and preventable. Many people mistaken some symptoms of this syndrome to a "a naturally slower metabolism" due to aging (or they may even blame their thyroid gland). Let me get something straight, this is not a genetic disorder.Here are the stages of insulin resistance and how this mysterious phantom does his dirty work;
Stage 1 - Insulin Abuse
Without even knowing it, we could be spiking our blood sugar over 4 times a day. By now, I hope we all know what this does to our body. Let's take a quick look just in case. Insulin (fat storing hormone) is released in large amounts and glucagon(fat burning hormone) is suppressed. This is abusing your pancreas and preventing it from doing the job it was meant to do. The first victim of this abuse is our arteries, especially in our capillaries(smallest arteries; this is where the oxygen and nutrients in the blood supplies your cells with what it needs). The high sugar levels in our blood irritate these arteries and inflammation occurs due to our body's natural response to irritants, infections and injuries. This creates endothelial dysfunction, these arteries no longer function properly.
The Glycemic Stress Concept: Caused by the elevated numbers of free radicals created by all that sugar in our blood. These charged oxygen molecules damages the sensetive lining of the fine capillaries. In regards to this lesson, let us focus on the capillaries in our muscles. In our last lesson we learned that the muscles normally absorb 85-90% of the glucose in our blood and use it as fuel. These fine capillaries become inflamed which causes them to constrict and thicken. When these capillaries constrict, there is less room for anything to get through thus making it difficult for insulin in your blood to pass into the fluid around the cell. A little reminder, insulin is the key that allows sugar (glucose) to enter the cell. The scary part is, this is happening to every one of your capillaries every time you eat a high-glycemic meal or snack.
Here's a fun fact: It has been theorized that there is a total of approximately 100 thousand kilometers of blood vessels (most of which are capillaries). Pull them out and stretch them end to end (do not really try this at home) and you can circle the earth at the equator 2.5 times! Can you imagine what years of this sort of abuse will do to them and your body?
Here's the answer: Stage 2.
Stage 2 - Beginning of Insulin Resistance
With constricted capillaries in place, this creates a virtual barrier in which the insulin can't be transported to the insulin receptor sites of the muscle, fat and liver cells (Importance of the Endothelial Barrier for Insulin-Diabetes Journal 42:1469-1473, 1993). These cells are expecting food (glucose) and without insulin, they cannot absorb the sugar flowing right by them. A signal is sent to the beta cells in the pancreas to produce more insulin. Still not getting through that tight space? Well happens now? It will keep pumping out insulin so it can try to hammer it's way through the inflamed capillaries. Insulin levels now become permanently elevated. The medical term used for this is called "Hyperinsulinemia". Welcome to
the early signs of the one and only "Insulin Resistance". "I hope you don't enjoy your stay". Now that hyperinsulinemia has begun, events start to take place in your body in a domino effect. These changes cannot be stopped without significant lifestyle changes.Here is a simple blood test that you could have your doctor perform that will tell you if you are anywhere near being insulin resistant. Test for triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Once insulin levels rise, your tryglicerides will rise as well though your HDL levels will drop. Dr. Strand recommends a ratio of 2:1 (Triglycerides:HDL). Anything higher is a sign that you are developping hyperinsulinemia. As if that wasn't enough, at this stage is where central obesity starts to show itself. Another test you can do yourself is to regularly measure your waist (1 inch below belly button) and note any increases.
You may not feel different during this stage, which is why this "phantom" is so elusive and dangerous. You probably won't even notice any changes until you enter stage 3.
Stage 3 - Full-Blown Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X)
a)High Blood Pressure
This is the first visible sign of full-blown metabolic syndrome and is treatable by doctors (the symptoms not the cause). Insulin resistance which results in hyperinsulinemia is known to cause an increase in your absorption of sodium in the kidneys which inevitably leads to fluid retention. This will participate in raising your blood pressure. Hyperinsulinemia has also been known to stimulate your sympathetic nervous system (I apologize for all the medical terms but it is necessary to emphasize the importance of this lesson ... please bare with me) which will cause additional constriction of your arteries and, in turn, raise your blood pressure.
b)Dyslipidemia
This is a pattern commonly seen when metabolic syndrome is concerned. The pattern consists of elevated triglycerides, decreasing HDL cholesterol and elevated VLDL (very-low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. VLDL particles are very dangerous companions to have swimming in your blood stream. They can cause further damage to your arteries as they can very easily oxidize.
c)Increased Fibronogen Levels
To put it simply ... The higher these levels are, the easier one tends to "clot" (much easier than we normally should. This increases our risk of heart disease and strokes,
d)Cardiovascular Disease
A heart attack may be the first time you realize that you have a problem with insulin resistance. Unfortunately, one third of the time, the first heart attack or stroke will kill you (and those are only to weapons in it's artillery. This definately can cut precious years to our lives and hurt the ones you love. Do not let anyone try to sugar coat this disease, it should be taken very seriously.
Stage 4 - Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
Unlike God, your body is unforgiving. All this abuse will take it's toll on your body. You will realize this when one day your doctor sits you down and tells you the bad news, "{Enter your name here}, You have Type 2 Diabetes". Let us compare your complicated body to a simple balloon. As you blow air into the balloon, it will adapt to the increased pressure by expanding itself. Though, in the long term, as you keep blowing air into the balloon the latex material it is made of can only stretch so much until it pops (regardless of it's ability to adapt). The "air" in this analogy is sugar and the "latex material" is your pancreas (the balloon is your body). Your pancreas just cannot keep up this high volume production of insulin and will eventually fail (your pancreas' beta-cells just give up due to exhaustion). Blood sugar now begins to rise and type 2 diabetes is starting to make itself confortable in your way of life. Not only are your beta-cells exhausted due to this overproduction but it is also under constant attack due to glucose toxicity.
During my research, I came across a great diabetes awareness site for young children and teenagers.
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with either Type 1 (Juvenile Diabetes) or 2 (Adult Onset Diabetes) , this is an excellent site to get them started on the right track. If they have specifically been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (or you are or know an adult with this disease), I encourage you to stay tuned to this blog and/or buy the book I based these lessons on. As I already mentioned, I am not a doctor so I highly recommend that you listen to your doctor and do exactly what he or she says. Though, at the same time ... keep reading, I am sure you won't be disappointed.Some people are genetically less prone to damage to the pancreas due to insulin abuse. It just keeps on pumping out insulin as needed. "Lucky them?", you might ask? Not really. We cannot forget the fact that sugar spikes in our blood stream are still damaging your arteries thus increasing their aging process. These people may be safe from diabetes but not from other degenerative diseases (Such as Cardiovascular disease).
An important note is that insulin resistance is one of the primary causes of central obesity, also known as "Killer Fat". Stay tuned for our next lesson where you will see just how dangerous this fat can be.
Until then, here is a little video I found that can be considered a comedic attempt to a trailer for our next lesson.
Take care and God Bless everyone of you!
With compassion,
Frank Musulinaro
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