Continuing our series during American Diabetes Month, I want to emphasize prevention by reminding you about a pre-diabetic condition also known as Insulin Resistance Syndrome (IRS). IRS is climbing to unprecedented levels and increasing along with it, the conditions that it predisposes: diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and premature death.

According to the ATP III criteria, Insulin Resistance Syndrome is identified by the presence of three or more of these components:

• Central obesity as measured by waist circumference:
  • Men - Greater than 40 inches
  • Women - Greater than 35 inches
• Fasting blood triglycerides greater than or equal to 150 mg/dL
• Blood HDL cholesterol:
  • Men - Less than 40 mg/dL
  • Women - Less than 50 mg/dL
• Blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/85 mmHg
• Fasting glucose greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL

At the root of IRS are unhealthy food choices. In our overabundant commodity food crop culture, our exposure to lower quality foods produced from the government subsidized crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat is creating metabolic imbalances in our bodies of epidemic proportions. Because these crops are cheaper for the farmer to sell them than it is to produce them (thanks to the subsidy), manufacturers use these crops to produce "foods" that are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor.

Therefore, the centerpiece to preventing and reversing IRS is healthy food choices. Go to your food pantry and your refrigerator and throw out anything that contains the following ingredients: high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (or any kind of partially hydrogenated oil), refined flour, or sugar (as the first or second ingredient). If you have nothing left in your pantry to eat, you need a serious dietary paradigm shift. Now replace those "foods" with some real food like 100% whole grains (oats, brown rice, etc.), a variety of vegetables, lean proteins (eggs, poultry, fish, tofu, etc.), and some fruit, berries, legumes and nuts.

Here are some targeted nutritional supplements that I recommend if you have any 3 out of the 5 characteristics of Insulin Resistance:

1. Berry Fusion™ : take one scoop 15 minutes before your largest meal, 1-2 times per day. The ingredients in this product will help to curb your appetite and provide nutrients that regulate blood sugar control, increase your resistance to stress, and inhibit free radical damage.
2. Glucose Support Formula™ : take 1 capsule, 2 times per day with the biggest meals. This product has nutrients in it that help to resensitize the cells to allow insulin to open the lock and let glucose flow in. There are also nutrients that help promote healthy glucose and fat metabolism.
3. GlukoKine® : take 1 capsule, 2 times per day with the biggest meals. The ingredients in this product have been shown to be beneficial in promoting healthy blood sugar management, thus improving glucose transport to improve regulation of sugar metabolism and a reduction in insulin resistance.
4. Rice Fiber First™ : take 3 caplets, 2 times per day. Fiber has been shown to reduce the level of insulin required to process food.
5. Daily Multi™ : take 1 capsule, 3 times per day with meals. If you are not already taking a high quality multi vitamin-mineral, this is a very good high-potency multi that will help prevent deficiencies.
6. Pure Q10™ : take 1-2 capsules per day. Studies have shown that 120 mg of coenzyme Q10 reduces glucose and insulin blood levels in people with high blood pressure and heart disease.

Finally, the last recommendation is regular exercise. Studies show that both aerobic exercise and strength training improves insulin sensitivity in healthy and insulin-resistant people. Exercise also has many benefits by reducing the risk factors associated with IRS and preventing some of the associated diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even some cancers.

We are now offering a Pre-Diabetes/Insulin Resistance Syndrome Blood Chemistry Panel that includes a lipid panel (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL, LDL/HDL ratio, triglycerides), fasting glucose, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and homocysteine. As usual, if you have any questions about this information or anything else, feel free to give us a call.
 

Key References:

Pollan M, "Farmer in Chief" New York Times Magazine, October 9, 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html

Williams DE, Prevost AT, Whichelow MJ, et al. A cross-sectional study of dietary patterns with glucose intolerance and other features of the metabolic syndrome. Br J Nutr 2000;83:257-66.

Torjesen PA, Birkeland KI, Anderssen SA, et al. Lifestyle changes may reverse development of the insulin resistance syndrome. The Oslo Diet and Exercise Study: a randomized trial. Diabetes Care 1997;20:26-31.

Barnard RJ, Wen SJ. Exercise and diet in the prevention and control of the metabolic syndrome. Sports Med 1994;18:218-28 [review].

Singh RB, Niaz MA, Rastogi SS, et al. Effect of hydrosoluble coenzyme Q10 on blood pressures and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13:203-8.

van Baak MA, Borghouts LB. Relationships with physical activity. Nutr Rev 2000;58:S16-S18 [review].

Borghouts LB, Keizer HA. Exercise and insulin sensitivity: a review. Int J Sports Med 2000;21:1-12 [review].

Lempiainen P, Mykkanen L, Pyorala K, et al. Insulin resistance syndrome predicts coronary heart disease events in elderly nondiabetic men. Circulation 1999;100:123-8.

Vanhala MJ, Pitkajarvi TK, Kumpusalo EA, Takala JK. Obesity type and clustering of insulin resistance-associated cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged men and women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998;22:369-74.

Yip J, Facchini FS, Reaven GM. Resistance to insulin-mediated glucose disposal as a predictor of cardiovascular disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998;83:2773-6.

Pyorala M, Miettinen H, Halonen P, et al. Insulin resistance syndrome predicts the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke in healthy middle-aged men: the 22-year follow-up results of the Helsinki Policemen Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2000;20:538-44.

Moore MA, Park CB, Tsuda H. Implications of the hyperinsulinaemia-diabetes-cancer link for preventive efforts. Eur J Cancer Prev 1998;7:89-107 [review].