How to Slow the Aging Process

AGING WELL GOAL #1: CONTROL INSULIN LEVELS

Insulin control ….not just for diabetics

The hormone insulin is secreted by the pancreas. It is essential for life. Insulin has multiple functions primarily dealing with “storage” in the body. It allows us to transport glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells for energy production. People who don’t produce insulin require frequent daily injections of insulin to live. Most of us, however, produce way too much insulin.

When we lose control of our insulin levels we set ourselves up for many adverse health consequences and accelerated aging. When insulin levels are consistently elevated the cells become resistant to the insulin “message”. To overcome this insulin resistance, the pancreas has to secrete even more insulin. The elevated insulin levels lead us down a path of accelerated aging. Elevated insulin levels leads to obesity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, and diabetes (type 2). Prolonged elevated insulin levels to Metabolic Syndrome. High insulin levels disrupt hormone balance throughout the body. High insulin levels increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer! High insulin levels increase inflammation throughout the body.

• High glucose (sugar) levels result in high insulin levels

• High insulin levels lead to Metabolic Syndrome

• Metabolic Syndrome leads to poor health and accelerated aging

In the current health care model, high insulin levels lead to a condition called “Metabolic Syndrome”. Patients with this “syndrome” are usually obese, hypertensive, have high cholesterol readings and are at a dramatically increased risk of having a heart attack. They also have a dramatically shortened life span (accelerated aging) If you don’t make the necessary lifestyle changes, your metabolic syndrome will be treated with prescriptions for blood pressure medication, cholesterol lowering medication, blood sugar lowering medications, and even diet pills! A much healthier approach is to deal with the underlying problem of “Metabolic Syndrome”……insulin control.
We monitor goal # 1 with a blood test called “fasting insulin level”

Healthy aging goal: Fasting insulin level less than 5

A thought provoker: Cancer cells have 20 times more insulin receptors than normal cells. Cancer cells live and thrive on sugar.

Learn about the health problems associated with high insulin levels...