Insulin, the Sugar Hormone

A brief overview of insulin and foods that will help keep insulin balanced...

If you eat too much of any food, especially carbohydrates (starch and sugar) the levels of glucose in the blood can rise quickly to very high levels. This will trigger a large release of insulin from the pancreas. Your cells will take what they need and then insulin will begin the process of converting the excess glucose, fat and protein into fat which is stored in your fat cells. By combining foods the right way for your body, you will maintain optimum levels of insulin throughout the day.

The best way to control insulin and fight sugar cravings is to eat protein snacks when you are hungry or when you have severe "sweet" cravings. Try to limit yourself to three carbohydrate-containing meals per day and include vegetables with most meals and snacks. SNACK TIP:  A particularly good snack is non-fat cottage cheese and salsa. For your evening meal, try to avoid these vegetables:  corn, yellow or orange squash, peas, beets and carrots. They have a high simple carbohydrate (sugar) content.

Good natural sources of protein for meals or snacks are:

• Chicken breast
  Turkey
  Fish
  Lean Pork
  Lean Steak
  7% or less Ground Beef
  Egg whites
  Egg Beaters
  Tofu
  Non-fat cottage cheese
  Non-fat cheese
  Non-fat cream cheese
  Non-fat sour cream
  Fat-free Ham or Canadian bacon

• You can also try protein powder and protein bars. - I recommend Labrada ProPlete Protein powder. It is low fat, low carb and high protein. It comes in several flavors and you can probably get it at GNC stores or any vitamin store. It does not have artificial sweeteners. It is sweetened with Stevia, which is all-natural and it made from the root and leaves of the Stevia plant.

  Labrada also makes good low-carb, sugar free protein bars. Other good protein bars are Ultimate Lo-Carb, Ultimate Lo-Carb2 and Premiere Elite. These are good as a "pretend candy bar" when you're having a craving. Just don't over do it. The last three bars I mentioned do have artificial sweeteners. You can find them at GNC, Trader Joe's and many vitamin stores.

The key to keeping your insulin well balanced is to eat frequently throughout the day. And limit a real sweet treat to once a week, staying away from sweets the rest of the week.

My fat loss and fitness plan "Every Body Loses" will give you the tools you need to begin a healthy weight loss program. The style of eating and exercising outlined in my book is one that you can follow for life without feeling deprived. If you're serious about losing fat and getting fit go to www.aim4nutrition.com and get started TODAY!

About the author:  Aimee Deak is a certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Analyst, author of the nutrition and fitness book "Every Body Loses" and owner of AIM 4 NUTRITION. She offers online personal training and training by phone.
www.aim4nutrition.com

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News about Balancing Insulin

Be mindful with carbohydrate consumption Longboat Key News Excess insulin causes a range of maladies. People have the choice of managing their insulin or not. Those who do not keep their insulin in check will probably have a dumpy shaped body, emotionally feel mediocre and have a high likelihood of developing ...

Champion Cohasset wrestler battles against diabetes The Patriot Ledger He's driven to excel academically and athletically and manages to balance his energy with his type 1 diabetes, for which he injects himself with insulin five times every day. The Cohasset High School senior is a defending Division 3 South Sectional ... and more »

A Sweet Life (blog)

The Ketogenic Diet and Peter Attia's War on Insulin A Sweet Life (blog) Because this balance is so hard to achieve, I've found carbo-loading to be the most difficult part of my long-distance running experience. I'm always looking for a better way to do it. It turns out, there may be one. Thanks to Peter Attia's new blog, ...

Students with diabetes more likely to struggle academically Kansas State Collegian If the number is low, they must eat some sugary food to raise it; if it is too high, they must inject insulin with a needle to balance their blood sugar out. We see them every day. They sit in class and walk around campus, often unrecognized. and more »

Moderate intake of grapes link to blood sugar balance Vanguard Moderate intake of grapes have now been connected to better blood sugar balance, better insulin regulation, and increased insulin sensitivity. Grapes contain a wealth of antioxidant nutrients that runs into hundreds, ranging from the conventional ...

Student died after taking overdose of mum's insulin Sutton Guardian By Matt Watts » A teenage girl killed herself with her mother's insulin days after splitting up with her boyfriend, an inquest heard. Former Carshalton High School for Girls pupil Charlotte Wasey, 17, was found dead in her bedroom in Wallington by her ... and more »

Bakery Trends Show Balance Between Delight and Lite Food Processing "The imbalance in insulin sensitivity causes further imbalances: higher than normal levels of insulin cause individuals to gain weight, which triggers additional insulin resistance, both of which lead to type 2 diabetes," she says.

Dancer balances diabetes, dancing Local 10 But between rehearsals all day and performances at night, Karz had little time to measure her blood sugar or take insulin injections. After being told, incorrectly, that she had Type 2 diabetes, which can be reversed through diet and exercise, ...

Saturated fatty acids lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance Medical Xpress Excessive levels of certain saturated fatty acids cause mitochondria to fragment, leading to insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, a precursor of type 2 diabetes, according to a paper in the January issue of the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology. and more »

Chiropractic Economics

Reversing the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome Chiropractic Economics The body needs both of these hormones, which have opposite physiological functions, to maintain balance. If an imbalance occurs, dysfunction or disease will arise. Insulin's primary function is to mediate glucose uptake to muscle cells, and in this way ...