Who Are We? Naturopathic Doctors 4-year doctorate program - PDF document

Who Are We? • Naturopathic Doctors – 4-year doctorate program – Licensed in 16 states Correcting Insulin Resistance: • Holistic Natural Health Care Preventing and Treating Chronic – Stimulate and support the body’s own healing process Disease – Address the causes or obstacles to healing – Nutrition, Lifestyle, Herbalogy, Homeopathy Our Mission Naturopathic Health Care • Treat by supporting the body’s healing process To improve the health of individuals, the • Find and address causes of disease and obstacles community, and the world at large to cure through education, empowerment, and compassion. • Use the least force necessary • Education, independence, and responsibility • Treat the whole person, not just parts • Prevent disease and promote optimal health What is Insulin? Normal Effects of Insulin • A Hormone made by your Pancreas • Tells most cells to allow sugar inside • Stop burning fat and use sugar as energy • Controls metabolism (go into storage • Store excess sugar (mostly as fat) mode) • Decreases effects of Growth Hormone • Allows sugars (glucose) into the cells to • Decreases effects of Thyroid Hormone be used • Stores energy for later use (fat) 1

When is Insulin Released? Insulin Resistance • In response to sugar entering the blood. • The cells that require insulin stop – This occurs after eating carbohydrates listening. – Any carbohydrates!! Complex carbohydrates increase insulin levels. • Like my response to telemarketers – Complex carbohydrates mixed with fat and protein slows down absorption the most. • Slower absorption means less insulin at once. • Eventually develop type 2 diabetes if not checked. • Also occurs some in response to sweet tastes. Problems with High Insulin Problems with High Insulin (continued) • Inhibits thyroid hormone (fatigue, weight • Abdominal weight gain gain, dry skin, etc) • Wasting of lean muscle mass (weakness) • Inhibits growth hormone (decreased • Increased inflammation repair) • Increased rates of heart disease • High uric acid levels (gout) • Increased tumor formation and growth • Vision changes (especially near-sighted) • Oxidation of tissues not resistant to • Acne insulin (kidney, eyes, nerves, blood • Early menarche vessels) • Excessive bone growth (really tall people) Heart Disease Cancer • Increased inflammation • High insulin leads to increased oxidation which increases likelihood of a cancerous cell forming. • Thickening of blood • Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases • Increased triglycerides and low HDL in growth of cancers blood • Smaller LDL particle size • Increased insulin and IGF-1 associated with cancers of breast, prostate, colon, endometrium (uterus) • These lead to plaques and inflammation in • Also associated with benign growth such as the arteries and eventually heart attack uterine fibroids and enlarged prostate and/or strokes. 2

Causes of Insulin Resistance Causes of Insulin Resistance • Genetic predisposition • Vitamin and mineral deficiencies – 25% highly-prone, 40% moderately prone (especially chromium) • Too much carbohydrate in the diet • Lack of exercise • Decreased binding on cell membranes: • Stress – Deficiency of omega-3 fats in the diet • Lack of sleep – High omega-6:omega-3 ratio • Nicotine • Too many vegetable oils and processed food – Trans-fatty acids Causes of Insulin Resistance Correcting Insulin Resistance • Live more like our distant (or not so distant) Summary: ancestors: Insulin resistance is the result of our sugar – Eat real foods addicted, sedentary, stressful lifestyles – Exercise daily – especially burst exercise while eating highly processed, nutrient – Eat (or supplement) small amounts of omega-3 fatty depleted foods. acids – Eat plenty of saturated fats – Decrease stress levels “Earth should be renamed Sucrosia” – Get plenty of sleep – Eat or supplement chromium, magnesium, zinc, and B- - Paul Bergner vitamins – Stop smoking Exercise Stress and Sleep • Get up and move!! • Take a walk, exercise, prayer, meditation, quality leisure time, journaling. – Especially 1-2 hours after a meal. – Burst exercise almost instantly removes – Stress increases cortisol levels which glucose and insulin from the blood directly increases glucose and insulin levels • Fast walk up a hill • Sprinting • Sleep deprivation has a direct effect on • Intense calisthenics insulin resistance – Muscles that get used become less insulin resistant. – Some people need 9 hours. 3

Vitamins and Minerals Stop Smoking • Chromium is required for binding of • Nicotine increases insulin resistance insulin to cells—it is the only known use of – This is a major reason nicotine increases risk chromium of heart disease and cancer (among other things) • Zinc, magnesium, and B-vitamins are directly or indirectly related to insulin’s proper function. • Get these in your food or supplement Conclusion Resources Correcting insulin resistance is a journey • My Handout – overall summary of today’s requiring major changes in lifestyle, topics kicking bad habits and addiction, and • The Schwarzbein Principle by Diana getting off the couch to get some Schwarzbein exercise. – My recommended book on understanding insulin-resistance, its effects on your health, and correcting it using diet You will be living as people are supposed to – I disagree with her regarding hormone- live and eat as people are supposed to eat. replacement therapy, soy, and a few other topics Real Foods • Real foods as our ancestors ate: – Truly organic and its equivalent – Animals that live like the animal should live • Grass-fed beef, free-roaming poultry (and their eggs), wild Intermission fish, wild game, some dairy – Lots of vegetables from nutrient-dense soils • Especially greens – Whole fruits in season especially the berries – Beans and grains soaked and slow-cooked – Nuts and seeds – Nutritious broths – Undamaged natural fats and oils (olive, coconut, butter, animal fats) 4

Balanced Diet Fats • Get omega-3 fats in your diet: What would you eat if there were no grocery stores? – Cod-liver oil (with vitamin D) – Fish oil – Flax seeds Lots of greens, roots, meat, eggs, fish, some – Walnuts grains and beans, berries in season or dried in – Wild cold-water fish (salmon, halibut, tuna) small amounts, seeds – Free-roaming chicken eggs • Get plenty of traditional saturated fats Bread is a luxury that requires lots of work. It – Coconut, butter, animal fats would be a rare treat. • Builds strong cell membranes that allow binding of insulin I highly disagree with the food pyramid—eating • Avoid refined vegetable oils (corn, soy, their recommended carbohydrates leads to cottonseed, canola, safflower) insulin resistance and diabetes. Carbohydrate Table Carbohydrates Somewhat Extremely Active • Eat low-glycemic foods and only with Sedentary Active Active protein and fat Meal 30 30-45 30-60 45-80 Underweight Snack 0-15 0-15 0-30 0-30 Meal 30 30-45 30-60 45-75 • Carbohydrate functions mainly as fuel. Normal Body Composition Snack 0-7.5 0-7.5 0-30 0-30 • Carbohydrate intake should depend on Normal Body Meal 15-30 30 30-45 45-60 activity levels and conditioning. Composition with fat Snack 15 0-7.5 0-7.5 0-15 around midsection Meal 15 15-30 30 45-60 Slightly overweight esp. around midsection Snack 7.5-15 0-15 0-15 0-7.5 Meal 15 15 15-30 30-40 Overweight especially around midsection Snack 7.5 7.5-15 0-15 0-15 Sample Breakfast Sample Lunch • Stew with: • ½ cup cooked corn grits – 1/3 cup of soaked and cooked navy beans – 2-3 ounces grass-fed beef • 2 pasture-raised eggs (cooked in organic – Stewed onion, carrot, celery, and beet greens butter) – Seasoned with plenty of herbs and spices • Salad of lettuce, grated beets, carrots, and • ½ cup sautéed collards (also cooked in celery root butter) – Dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and herbs • 15 grams of carbohydrate total • 15 grams of carbohydrate 5