In this video, Dr. Michael Greger explains how we are being controlled by the food industry.
There’s no devious plot to make us sick and unhealthy, but the greed of MONEY will make people do some unbelievable things.
While tobacco kills an estimated 492,000 people a year, an unhealthy diet contributes to nearly 75% more! [1] In fact, The Guardian reports that poor diet is a factor in 1 out of 5 deaths! [2] I’d argue that is actually higher, though.
This isn’t just an attack on obesity either. You don’t have to be fat to be unhealthy!
The system is set up to fail us! Again – the system is set up to FAIL US! The foods we need to thrive aren’t easily marketable and the profit margin is horrible. Processed foods, however, can be made on the cheap and engineered to taste really good.
If it’s advertised, you have to be convinced to buy it. Eat the things you know are healthy for you – real, whole food!
If you’d like to read more about how the food industry evolved into the mega giant it is today – literally controlling our brains through food – I’d highly recommend the book, “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us,” by Michael Moss. You’d be amazed at the science that goes behind making foods irresistible! We all want to be satisfied and happy. Well, the food industry has managed to find out what makes us tick, and has turned it up to eleven!
Here are some more articles related to fast foods and advertising the food industry probably doesn’t want you to know.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, estimated to affect 630 million people worldwide. [1]
osteo: meaning bone
arthro: meaning joint
itis: meaning inflammation
According to most medical sources, it’s a degenerative and progressive “disease” of the joint. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time. One can expect to have mild to extreme pain and discomfort (depending on the severity of the condition), symptoms of stiffness/tenderness, and reduced mobility/flexibility (or range of motion). Some may also experience a “grating sensation” when moving, and even develop bone spurs around the affected joint. [2]
So what happened?
Well, first you have to understand is that the body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding itself. Cells don’t last forever. Depending on the individual cell and the load on that cell, they can live from hours to years. The lifespan of white blood cells, for example, is about 3-4 days; whereas red blood cells get recycled every 120 days. Your entire liver can regenerate in as little as 1 year, and even your entire skeleton is brand new after about 10 years. [3]
Are your bones alive? In defining “alive”, the dictionary says,
“The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism.”
When you break a bone, it heals, doesn’t it? So, in response to a stimulus (let’s say, a baseball bat), your bone will adapt and reproduce. Did you go to the skeleton dealership and trade in your framework for a larger model as you were getting bigger? No. Your bones grew.
See, inside your bones, you have osteocytes and chondrocytes – cells responsible for producing and maintaining collagen and other substances that make up your bones and cartilage. You also have osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells). As required, your body creates and breaks down your bone and other tissues to adapt to its environment. [4]
As the body is confronted with toxins and time, it will try to repair. If, however, you’re not providing your body what it needs (by way of nutrition and exercise), and otherwise getting in the way of the repair process (e.g. exposing your body to chronic physical, chemical and emotional stress) – you’re gonna wear out.
It’s pretty simple:
Rate of Repair > Rate of Wear = Health
Rate of Repair < Rate of Wear = Disease
Think of it this way…your body is in a constant tug of war between living and dying. We want to make sure to maximize those things that promote health, and limit those thing that lead to disease.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand.
So, what did your doctor say?
Well, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York (who is ranked #1 nationally in orthopedics, is the United States’ oldest orthopedic hospital, and who performs more knee and hip replacement surgeries than any other hospital in the US), here’s what you can expect… [5]
“Treatment is aimed at control of pain by decreasing inflammation in the joint and with analgesics; oral medications may be prescribed, or injections into the joint. With the help of the physician and literature from the Arthritis Foundation, patients should first educate themselves about the disease and the various therapy modalities, such as physical and occupational therapy, especially the importance of exercise. It is also wise to maintain good nutrition and, if you are overweight, to reduce your weight.”
Only at the end do they mention nutrition and exercise. We’ll later reference studies and clinicians who assert that reversing OA naturally through nutrition, supplementation, chiropractic adjustments and exercise isn’t just possible, but likely. But first, let’s investigate the medical system’s primary mode of care – to control your pain. NOT to fix the issue.
What drugs are being prescribed?
Analgesics and NSAIDs
The first strategic onslaught to your body will be over the counter and prescription Analgesics, such as Tylenol; and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), such as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve. Although effective in reducing pain and inflammation, these drugs introduce other effects that aren’t very desirable – most notably heart attacks and strokes, as warned by the FDA in 2005 and who further strengthened that warning in 2015. [6] Your next concern should be your gut, as 71% of those who were exposed to NSAIDs for more than 90 days had visible injury to their small intestines (including erosion and ulcers, leading to indigestion and further bowel complications or dysfunction). [7] Acetaminophen is known to cause liver damage, and is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the US and UK. [8] Sign off your kidneys, too, as NSAIDs have been linked to kidney disease and acute kidney failure. [9] What might be even more alarming (assuming you can live with the increased risk to your liver, kidneys, stomach, intestines, cardiovascular system and immune system), is that these drugs have been proven to not be effective in the treatment of OA and even accelerate the progression of the disease! [10] [26]
COX-2 Inhibitors
COX-2 inhibitors are simply a more selective drug than NSAIDs (where NSAIDs block both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, COX-2 inhibitors only block the latter). They are touted as being just as effective at reducing pain, inflammation and fever, but allegedly without all the damaging effects on the gut. However, studies show they are also just as dangerous as NSAIDs in causing heart attacks, strokes, and damage to your liver and kidneys; as well as to your stomach and intestines (albeit to an advertised “lesser extent”). [11] Celecoxib is the only COX-2 inhibitor currently available in the United States. Rofecoxib (Vioxx – discontinued in 2004) and valdecoxib (Bextra – discontinued in 2005) are no longer available because they increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, even with the voluntary withdrawal, some still think there’s a market for this deadly drug. [18] [19] I mean, you may die from a heart attack or stroke, but at least your knees won’t hurt, right? Two other products, Arcoxia (etoricoxib) and Prexige (lumiracoxib) are both prescribed in other countries, but have been rejected by the FDA. Prexige was removed from the market in Australia and Canada due to related liver complications. [12]
Tramadol and stronger painkillers (oral and injections)
Tramadol (Ultram), an even stronger pain medication, is considered an opiod agonist – meaning it’s a narcotic. It’s listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a “schedule IV controlled substance” (along with Valium, Xanax and Ambien) due to its addictive characteristics – even though the FDA believed it had low potential for abuse. [13] Assuming you take it as directed, be prepared for side effects to include dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, upset stomach loss of appetite, insomnia, digestive distress, allergic reactions, difficulty swallowing or breathing, agitation, hallucinations, lack of coordination, sleep apnea, seizures and (oh yeah) cognitive impairment and slowed reaction times as well as serotonin syndrome. [14] [15] Stronger painkillers (such as codeine and propoxyphene) come with a similar laundry list of trade offs, too – albeit none more serious than death. A 2015 Australian study found codeine-related deaths more than doubled in 10 years, and the manufacturer even warns of the primary risk, hypoxia – even in moderate therapeutic doses. [16] [17] Even the CDC Director, Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. went on record in 2011 saying, “overdoses involving prescription painkillers are at epidemic levels and now kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.” [20] Which was later proven only to have gotten worse with the NIH recording over 19,000 American deaths from Opioid Pain Relievers in 2016. [21]
What your doctor might not tell you (or know)…is that a study in 2016 actually found that opioid use for pain management paradoxically and remarkably doubled the duration of pain and that prolonged pain is a consequenceof opioid use in treating chronic pain. [23] WTF!
A study out of the University of Colorado – Boulder also reported, that in one study of rats, they found that rats given morphine experienced postoperative pain for more than three weeks longer than the rats not given morphine. In fact, the longer the mice that received morphine continued to get it, the longer their pain lasted. [24] Professor Grace was quoted in that article, saying:
“Opiates are really effective for acute pain relief. There is no drug that works better. But very little research has been done to look at what it is doing in the weeks to months after it’s withdrawn,”
Look, if I’m in a car accident or fall off a building and break my back – gimme that pill! But! Opioids have no place in the treatment of chronic ailments.
Yet another article out of George Washington University in 2016 showed that opioid exposure is associated with reduced likelihood of healing. [25] Yes. This means that the pain meds you’re being prescribed (solutions offered by your doctor) will not only make the pain worse, but prolong it!
If the oral variety doesn’t help much, you’ll likely be offered localized injections of cortisone. The “success rate” will vary from person to person, and if it does work to dull your pain, it likely won’t last for more than a week or two. [22] Unfortunately, like the other methods described above, this too has similar detrimental and counterproductive results.
Don’t worry, though! There are much more safe and effective means to lower the pain!
But let’s see what your doctor will likely do next.
Antidepressants
I mean, no wonder you’re depressed! What’s been prescribed so far has only made the problem worse. Your pain hasn’t gone away, the outlook hasn’t gotten any better, and now they want to talk about surgery.
Your body has been under stress for decades due to poor nutrition, lack of movement, substandard sleep, and constant emotional fatigue. Now your body is being chemically altered – drug after drug – only to undermine its physiological safeguards, and impede its ability to safely adapt to a toxic environment. This just leads to more pain, a greater risk of disease, and…well, yeah…depression.
Surgery, of course. If it’s worn out – rip it out and put in a new one! Why not?
Just know that this is what the leading expert hospital has to say about going on to surgery. [27]
“Keep in mind that surgery relieves pain more than it restores range of motion. Thus, the decision to undergo surgery is one more of personal wishes than of medical priorities.”
So, again…not going to fix your problem – but there won’t be any pain. Confronted with excruciating pain, I can’t fault anyone for going this route – especially when left with no other options. But when your doctor tells you that you need surgery…remember this quote!
Just know that your implant won’t last forever! Unlike your body (which can heal itself), science has yet to find a repairable metal or plastic. Since the underlying issue hasn’t been addressed, you can anticipate going through another replacement surgery in as little as 10 years from now. [28] You might also be among the 44% of individuals who are falsely advertised to benefit from surgery – those of whom noticed little to no change post surgery. [29] [30] That said, most patients were satisfied with the surgery and derived substantial benefits for daily functional activities. [31]
Even though most hospitals are quick to site that implants are expected to function for at least 15 to 20 years in 85-90% of patients, they also are quick to qualify that statement; stating that, “over time, general wear and tear will loosen the implants and may cause pain, loose particles, infection and instability – requiring more surgery.” [32] As always, do your research and ask yourself if the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits. These risks may include bleeding, infection, blood clots, stiffness and continued pain. [33] From my research, most of the opinions I’ve found on total knee replacements seem to agree that if you’re someone with severe functional limitations (e.g. unable to walk long distances, climb stairs, or otherwise use the knee to function), then surgery may be worth the risks.
As a side note, don’t let your orthopedic scare you by saying, “it’s bone on bone.” If you can move it – in any way – it’s not bone on bone. [56] The joint can regenerate and the bone spurs be reabsorbed.
But!
What if there was another alternative – a safer, no-risk option that, not only healed your aching joints, but had the added benefits of losing weight, increasing energy levels, improving mood, even reversing other conditions you may have!
Wouldn’t that be ideal?
First, we have to truly understand what’s going on when your body correctly adapts to its environment, presenting as osteoarthritis.
Before that, however – repeat the following…
The body is smart,
It doesn’t do things by accident, and
It will adapt to preserve life
If we assume the above statements are correct, then osteoarthritis is not a “degenerative and progressive disease.” Instead, it’s your body’s brilliant and astute adaptation – a biological wonder in self-preservation. The body isn’t providing “symptoms” – rather, CLUES! It’s your body’s way of communicating with you.
Inflammation
The first thing you need to know about inflammation, is that it’s your body’s way of healing and protecting itself. I know it’s annoying, but the redness, swelling, heat, and pain (although uncomfortable) is your body’s defense mechanism. [34]
Inflammation = Repair
So, why on earth would we want to take a drug that interrupts this process? Know that, when you reach for those meds, you’re choosing short term relief at the cost of long term damage. If inflammation is the body’s immune response to a stimulus, wouldn’t it make more sense to listen to our body, identify the stimulus, and fix it?
If the stimulus is not identified, fixed or removed, chronic inflammation will result. Chronic inflammation is bad, “Mmm-kay?”
For example:
Let’s say you have a pebble in your shoe. I can’t imagine walking around all day, every day, with that level of discomfort and pain. But people do it all the time! How? Drugs.
Numbing the pain doesn’t fix the problem…it just makes the pain more bearable. The problem is still there. The pebble is still perceived by your brain. You just don’t feel it. And remember, that pain med you took is also actively blocking your body’s natural means of healing.
So, you’ve gone a few months like this. Now the pain is no longer acute – it’s chronic. Your body needs to adjust. You certainly aren’t listening to the subtle clues, so it’s got to ramp up its efforts to preserve and protect itself.
Confronted with chronic pain, your brain begins to change! [35]
Modifications in the regions involved in cognitive and emotional modulation of pain occur – perhaps explaining why people with long-term chronic pain often develop anxiety and depression.
One pain condition develops into another – people with inflammatory or degenerative joint disease, for example, are almost four times as likely to also have fibromyalgia.
Chronic pain syndromes, such as chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), irritable bladder, pelvic pain, and others, cluster together in an individual; and they shift over time, trading off as to which one is more dominant at any given time.
You’ll develop alterations in sleep patterns (e.g. poor sleep), leading to fatigue and disruptions in cognitive function as well as mood disturbances.
Presenting multiple symptoms leads to more doctor visits. Your general physician will refer you to multiple specialists, leading to multiple tests, and ultimately multiple diagnoses. Of course, the standard methods of care for these issues is not to investigate and fix the problem – but to numb the patient and make them comfortable — more drugs.
More drugs, likely not researched for adverse interactions, cause more adverse effects – leading to more pain and further complications.
All the while, your sympathetic nervous system’s going nuts and responding by, [36]
Rousing up the adrenal glands to spit out hormones (e.g. epinephrine, adrenaline, cortisone, cortisol et cetera),
Leading to physiological changes such as elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, rapid breathing, elevated blood sugar, and high levels of cholesterol, reduced digestion…all great when trying to outrun a tiger, but destructive to the body when chronically exposed.
More importantly, while the “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous) system’s stuck in the ON position, the “rest, digest, and repair” (parasympathetic nervous) system’s muted. Remember at the beginning of this article when we talked about the rate of wear being faster than the rate of repair, and what happens? The body breaks down.
Constant consumption of resources by the body, without being replenished, leads to depletion.
Constant demand from the glands and organs, without given the chance to recover, leads to the deterioration.
Now. If only we would have thought to take that little pebble out of our shoe! Maybe then we wouldn’t have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, diabetes, depression, pain, and all the side effects from the multiple medications so irresponsibly prescribed by the medical community. All that from a tiny little pebble!
Osteoarthritis, and other forms of bone and joint discomfort (heck, all “syndromes” and “diseases”) are not something you catch. They don’t just appear over the course of days or weeks. They are conditions, onset by systemic and chronic inflammation, over the course of years. The underlying cause, however…the pebble…is still there! Until we identify the stimulus, then fix or remove it, we have no chance at becoming healthy again.
What could be the root cause?
If you take a more holistic approach to the problem, you will see that,
The joint is part of the body, and as such, is subject to the physiological wellness of the body (if the whole is sick, the parts will be sick)
The joint is part of a biomechanical chain consisting of nerves, bones, joints, ligaments and muscles (if one’s off, they’ll be off)
Physiology
Now, although easy to see the correlation between a person’s weight and the resultant forces exerted on their joints, obesity also has unseen triggers (e.g. hormonal and cellular dysfunction) when it comes to arthritis. [37] In fact, links between osteoarthritis and the metabolic syndrome are growing stronger and greater in number. Some research even shows that metabolic diseases have a direct systemic effect on joints – siting the obesity-associated inflammation as a key factor in osteoarthritis severity and progression. [38] One article goes so far as to say, [40]
“Current information suggests that osteoarthritis shares a similar biochemical and inflammatory profile to the metabolic syndrome. Mounting evidence exists to call attention to the fact that osteoarthritis deserves a seat at the Metabolic Syndrome ‘table’ of disorders.”
Metabolic syndrome, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a cluster of conditions (including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels) that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. [39]
Didn’t we just show how those “conditions” are normal adaptations of the body to a stimulus? Keep in mind, too, that you don’t need to be obese to be diagnosed with “metabolic syndrome.” One can’t make the argument of “excessive loading on joints” in the hands (where arthritis also occurs). I mean, unless you’re walking around on your hands all day. The link, however, between chronic inflammation and joint health is unavoidable.
Biomechanics
Biomechanics, or how the body moves, relies on input and support from multiple systems (e.g. the nervous system, muscular system, skeletal system, et cetera). Upsetting any one of these could mean tipping the scales in the favor of inflammation, wear and disease.
Biomechanical factors play an important role in the health of your joints. Altered joint loading (associated with obesity, misalignment, trauma, and/or joint instability) will likely lead to joint degeneration, whereas exercise and weight loss have generally been shown to promote beneficial effects for osteoarthritic joints. [41]
The key term being instability. In fact, the severity of cartilage degeneration has been found to increase linearly with the degree of instability. [42] This instability may stem from muscle imbalances around, or a misalignment of, a joint – even loose ligaments charged with supporting the bone and muscle connections. [43] Strengthen those muscles around the joint by using them! And don’t just target the ailing joint. Weak butt muscles can lead to unstable knees. Overdeveloped calves can lead to poorly developed muscles in the surrounding areas – leading to unstable knees! Balance is key.
So, in the event that the body deems a joint “unstable,” it must take preventative measures to protect itself. It does this by laying down more bone in attempts to fuse (or stabilize) the joint. [44] Folks with osteoarthritis may be more familiar with the term, “bone spurs.”
Other causes of instability may come from surrounding joints that have become compromised due to weak postural muscles or inadequate exercise, becoming misaligned for a multitude of reasons. Instability may also arise from dysfunction of the nervous system! In other words, what presents as a “knee problem” may not actually be an issue with the knee at all! Instead, knee pain may simply be referred from the feet, the hips, or even the low back. [45]
How to prevent and reverse osteoarthritis
Finally, right!
Know that the knee, along with the spine, feet, and other joints, don’t get their nutrients in the way that normal cells around the body do. Joints are under remarkable loads, and normal blood vessels simply can’t survive the level of compression in this environment. Instead, joints are “lubricated” through movement.
Without movement, joints can’t get the nutrients they need through the synovial fluid.
However, even with movement, if the blood is toxic or not carrying sufficient amounts of nutrients required for the body to undergo repair, the joint will starve. In other words – if the blood is sick, the body will become sick. In order for the blood to carry the proper nutrients throughout the body, one must first consume and absorb those nutrients!
So, for preventing and reversing arthritis one must,
Optimize the blood, then
Deliver that blood to the affected area
And here’s how we do that!
Provide your body with proper nutrition
You simply MUST provide your body with the building blocks it needs to thrive. Without the proper nutrients, your body will fail to recover as fast as it breaks down. This means, following a Heading Healthy nutrition plan – focus on eliminating foods that cause harm to your body, and prioritize foods that bring it health.
Foods rich in nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and anti-inflammatory properties (anti-oxidants and omega-3s, like organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, et cetera) should be sought after. Support a healthy gut!
Although beneficial to everyone, if you’re dealing with joint problems, you may want to concentrate on sulfer-containing foods (like onions, garlic, asparagus, sauerkraut, and cabbage), bone broth (which contains collagen, proline, glycine and glucosamine), and fruits containing bromelain (like pineapple) – all shown to be beneficial to joint health. [54]
Spices you’ll want to make sure you include in your recipes are turmeric, basil, rosemary, ginger, and cayenne – all shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body. [55]
Reduce joint stress with proper alignment and support
Go see a good corrective chiropractor. He or she should analyze your spine and nervous system with (at minimum) x-rays and an exam, identify the underlying problems that are producing your symptoms, and fix those problems through proper chiropractic techniques that will reshape the structure of the spine, reverse degeneration, and get you back to a healthy life. [46]
The goal, here, is to find the stress points in your body that have been plaguing it for decades. This may be anything from a lack of (or excessive) curvature in your spine causing poor nervous system communication; to pelvic misalignment leading to biomechanical compensations throughout the body; to poor patella tracking (e.g. misaligned knee cap) causing instability in the knee; to weak intrinsic muscles of the foot causing flat feet and poor posture.
Only once the cause is found, can the solution be identified.
Advanced steps to prevent and reverse osteoarthritis
When faced with pain from years of dealing with inflammation, simply changing your diet and going to see a chiropractor might not be a drastic enough change. However, without following a healthy nutrition and ensuring your nervous system isn’t impeded, one can not expect to heal completely. You have to first remove the stress from the body before beginning to heal.
That said, there are a few “power ups” that I’ve found to be helpful in dealing with joint problems.
Supplements
Niacinamide (also known as Vitamin B3), has been shown to reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis in as little as 3-4 weeks, with 100% reduction in joint pain at around months 3-4. [47] [48] [49] Doses advertised to produce such results are 1,000mg, 3 times per day. [50] [51]
Omega-3 fish oil, with it’s anti-inflammatory effects, will help offset the inflammatory diets so many of us are accustomed to. Ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3, in the 1:1 to 1:2 range, have been found to be beneficial to health. Ratios above 3:1, however, is where we start to see an onset of disease. People who consume the typical “Western Diet” are more likely at ratios exceeding 20:1, likely explaining the current epidemic of inflammatory diseases. [52] Fish oil is one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids and has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, while also helping to reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain, arthritis, and chronic skin ailments like eczema. [53] The best fish oils are in liquid form, as they absorb up to 3 times faster than pill form and are easier to take in the recommended dosages. Don’t worry. If processed properly, there won’t be any fishy odor or taste, but you have to keep it in the refrigerator. From my research, most agree that1,500-3,000mg per day is sufficient, but it’s best to spread it out to at least twice per day. If you’re not used to it, your system could struggle with that amount of oil in one shot! Dr. William Davis, in his bookUndoctored, recommends a little more at a daily dose of 3,000-3,600mg. Just remember, that it’s EPA+DHA amounts that are recommended, not the amount of fish oil.
Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2, will ensure adequate absorption of Calcium and transportation of it from soft tissues (like arteries and joints) into hard tissues (like bones and teeth). I’d also steer clear of Calcium supplements. Calcium supplements appear to have a negative risk-benefit effect due to increased gastrointestinal side effects (including a doubling of hospital admissions for these problems), a 17% increase in kidney stones and a 20-40% increase in risk of heart attack. [59] Why? Because we all get enough Calcium! However, we don’t get enough Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 to effective and efficiently use that mineral! Plus, I doubt you have a Calcium deficiency if your laying down new bone! We absorb enough Calcium from our diet as long as we get appropriate amounts of Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2. I, personally, have been supplementing with 10,000 IU of Vitamin D along with 100 mcg of Vitamin K2 for almost a year – with good results.
Apple Cider Vinegarhas been proven to help regulate blood sugar levels, enhance weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and relieve symptoms of acid reflux. It can also help balance your body’s pH, enhance circulation, aid in digestion, and boost your gut health. [61] This makes it a key staple in recovering from a toxic lifestyle. Apple Cider Vinegar has also been shown to lessen the pain and swelling of arthritic joints, help re-mineralize the body, and act as an antioxidant. [60] [62] You can mix it in a glass of water (and drink it with a straw to protect your teeth from the acid), and even add some lemon juice to make it more palatable if you need. I, personally, just take a shot of the stuff. Try starting off with 1-2 ounces twice daily (once in the morning and once in the evening) and see how it makes you feel. And be sure to stick with raw, organic, unfiltered.
For a list of other supplements and products recommended by Heading Healthy, please visit our Recommendations Page.
Exercises
Weighted leg swings might be the best exercise you can do to increase supply of synovial fluids into the joint. This distracts the knee joint, creating (in a sense) a “vacuum,” that draws nutrients into the joint and lubricates the surfaces of the bones – relieving pain and stimulating repair. It’s as simple as sitting on a table, weighting your food (with either ankle weights or a kettlebell), and lightly swinging your foot back and forth from the knee. Here’s a video demonstrating what I mean.
Walking, 30 minutes every day, will help get the joints moving – lubricating them and stimulating healing. Walking has also been associated with improving your overall mood! [57] Be sure not to load the joints too much, however, as more wear will just occur. If the joints have degenerated too much, you might want to consider less stressful forms of exercise like biking or swimming.
Calf stretches, done by standing on a 2-3″ block (under the ball of your foot) and then pushing the knee forward (over the toe) while keeping your heel on the ground, will help loosen the muscles of the calf and allow adequate flexion of the foot. Tight muscles mean an imbalance of the skeletal structure, which can lead to overcompensation of opposing muscles. This also allows for proper movement of the soleus muscle – which acts like a pump to restore blood flow to your lower extremities. You should do these static stretches for 30-60 seconds (each side) at least 2-3 times every day.
Foot exercises – like playing “rock, paper, scissors” with your toes; picking up marbles; alternating “gas pedal exercises”; folding towels; or “sweeping” with the feet will all lead to increased brain stimulus and muscle development in the feet. As the foot becomes more stable, the joints and muscles above it (e.g. knee, pelvis, et cetera) can become more stable as well. If the foot is unstable, poor posture and unbalanced movement will occur – stressing muscles, joints, and tendons which rely on “firm footing” to operate. <– See what I did there? Try getting at least two, 20 minute sessions in every day – and you can even do them while watching TV or working at the office.
Physical therapists are another great resource that you should consider when recovering from joint pain. They should be able to assist you in developing exercises that meet the needs of the body for proper function, while being sensitive to your physical limitations.
It seems you CAN heal and reverse Osteoarthritis naturally!!
Here’s one success story (based on the methods above) you need to hear!
By giving the body what it needs (e.g. proper nutrition, movement and rest) and removing inflammation causing elements (e.g. physical, chemical and/or emotional stress), the body will find its way back to health. Hopefully, now, you can start to appreciate that the body is intelligent, and by understanding what it’s trying to tell you, you can find health again! You don’t need to be a doctor to understand what’s going on. You just need to listen to the clues.
More and more doctors, every day, are beginning to realize that the science they’ve been taught is outdated. Every day, more doctors are starting to uncover the truth behind the information they read and its sources. It’s important to know, that your doctors are humans, too – and it’s okay to question their direction. It’s paramount that you work with your doctor, ask the right questions and take responsibility for yourself. It’s even more so critical that you take the time to find out on your own, what YOU can do for yourself.
The current medical model is setup to chase symptoms. Doctors are trained to prescribe a remedy to pain and keep you comfortable. They are enticed to keep your numbers in the green. They are incentivized to treat as many patients, to perform as many procedures as they can, to make money. Although that model is terrific at treating acute conditions (say, you were in a car accident), it fails miserably when confronted with a chronic condition (heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, et cetera).
The medical community is under a lot of pressure, too. People just want an easy fix. They want a magic pill that allows them to continue the indulgent lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to. Blood pressure too high? Take a pill. Cholesterol out of wack? Take a pill. Have diabetes? You’re in luck! Here’s a needle.
Yet, Americans are getting fatter. And worse yet…sicker. Could it be, that the current guidance (provided by the unquestioned medical establishment) may actually be the problem? Well, what if it was? What would it look like? If the current conventional wisdom says, “do X and you’ll be healthy,” and even when followed, more and more people (of epidemic proportions) are getting sicker – doesn’t it stand to reason that the conventional wisdom may be wrong?
Dr. Peter Attia, an ER surgeon, went through his own inner turmoil when he felt justified condemning an overweight patient who developed diabetes and needed her foot amputated. Yet, he consoled and wept for a young [in-shape] newlywed who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As he humbly recounted his misplaced disdain at a talk at TEDMED, he argued it was his ignorant acceptance that “eat less, exercise more,” (in his words, “settled science”) that shaped his bully attitude – that it was the patient’s fault for not caring or trying hard enough.
Despite his own blind following of “conventional wisdom” (i.e. working out multiple hours per day and following the dietary guidelines to the letter), he too gained weight and developed insulin resistance. Insulin resistance – the precursor to Type II Diabetes. The “disease” he so quickly discounted as bad luck and poor effort in the ER. His own beliefs were now in question. Go figure.
Here’s the thing – your body is self-healing and self-regulating. That means, that your body will adapt to its environment to save itself. That means, that your body will mount an inflammatory response when you get sick or injured. The sneezing, coughing, redness, itching, fever? It’s not the cold. It’s your body FIGHTING the cold. Why would you want to then handicap your immune system even further by taking an anti-inflammatory? Why would you want to take a steroid that inhibits the immune response? Yes, I know – allergies suck and colds aren’t fun either. And I’m not saying you never take medications, but know what’s going on deep inside before asking your doctor if the latest medication you saw during Wheel of Fortune is “right for you.”
Another example is blood pressure. If your numbers aren’t within some arbitrary range, what happens? You’re prescribed an anti-hypertensive. Why? To lower your blood pressure. But remember, the body is intelligent. Could it be, that the reason your blood pressure is up is because you’re stressed? Maybe you just lost a loved one or can’t keep up with the bills. Or maybe, just maybe, your body is responding to the past three decades of poor nutrition – your arteries are damaged from all the sugar in your diet so your body tries to repair them with cholesterol, calcium and collagen; which restricts the flow of blood throughout your body, so your body raises its blood pressure to get the required oxygen and nutrients to your cells. Remember when you were a kid and you stuck your thumb over the end of a hose? What happened? The pressure built up and squeezed by your thumb, shooting out farther and harder than before. It adapted to your input. This is what your body does. Now ask yourself another question…if your body raises blood pressure to cope with a chronic condition of stress (chemical, emotional or physical)…do you think it would be a good idea to take a chemical to artificially lower blood pressure? If your body NEEDS that higher blood pressure to survive why would you challenge your own innate physiology? What do you think happens when we cut off the supply of oxygen and nutrients to cells? They die. What do you think a heart attack and stroke are? So, is it fair to assume that taking a pill might not be the best thing to do? Instead, should we question why our blood pressure is high in the first place?
Dr. Peter Attia put it so eloquently,
“I dream of the day when our patients can shed their excess pounds and cure themselves of insulin resistance, because as medical professionals we’ve shed our excess mental baggage and cured ourselves of new idea resistance sufficiently to go back to our original ideals – open minds, the courage to throw out yesterday’s ideas that don’t appear to be working, and the understanding that scientific truth isn’t final but constantly evolving. Staying true to that path will be better for our patients and better for science.”
We must continue to search for the answers. We must continue to ask, “why.” We must be held accountable for our own actions.
“When patients grow accustomed to being passive recipients of care, rather than being actively engaged in their own lifestyle changes, symptomatic problems will persist, and root cause healing will elude them” …that, “The willingness to challenge even our most deeply held assumptions, and the humility to admit when we’ve been wrong, are essential to good science.”
The Heading Healthy movement is about finding answers. It’s about leveraging the collective knowledge of scientists, doctors, and patients to find the “why.” It’s all about empowering YOU with knowledge and suggestions that you can use to improve your life!
Recently, we’ve outsourced our critical thinking to electronics, the cloud and even authority figures. Without questioning “Why” something is, or “How” something works, or “When” something is needed, how can we truly know that we are doing the right thing? We, as humans, evolved by learning from others and our own mistakes and successes. The current age of “group think,” however, is stunting our growth as a species. We must continue to learn and grow. We must continue to challenge opinions. We must continue to seek the truth so as not to be led astray.
Okay, maybe you don’t (or maybe you just don’t know it yet), but I had a one-in- three chance of being spot on with that one. In fact, if you don’t have diabetes, consider yourself REALLY lucky, or maybe you’re in the minority and just plain healthy. Oh, and guess what! Your chances of being diagnosed with diabetes goes up with every day you get older, so if you aren’t exhibiting symptoms of diabetes right now, chances are pretty good you will – just give it time.
This “cheery” prediction comes from a recent report out of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1] [2] which paints a pretty dire picture for the U.S.. More than 100 million Americans have either diabetes or pre-diabetes. Of those 100 million, 4% were of age 18-44; 17% between 45-64 years old; and, 25% were above age 65. The report also details trends based on the level of education one has. Graduate high school? You’re 3.1% less likely to have diabetes than someone who hasn’t. Graduate college? That put you in a 2.2% smaller pool. But here’s the scary part…with every study, the overall rates continue to go UP, so it doesn’t really even matter the demographics or economics of your specific situation..
Why should you care? Well, diabetes, over time, can lead to problems such as nerve damage, dental disease, kidney disease and eye issues. [3] And, it was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015 (the year this data was compiled). Scarier yet, the longer you have diabetes, the higher your chances of developing heart disease. [4] In fact, adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes. And guess where those two things rank on the worldwide deaths and mortality list – first and fifth, respectively. [5] Now, I’m not a statistician, but I don’t think it takes one to see that having diabetes “ain’t good.”
So what is diabetes anyway? Simply put, it’s your body’s adaptive response to being exposed to consistently high amounts of toxic foods. See, you don’t “catch” diabetes. You earn it.
Here’s what happens (at a very high level, admittedly). When you eat or drink something, your body breaks down those ingredients into their most basic forms. One of the most prominent building blocks of food is glucose (a carbohydrate). Every cell in your body can utilize glucose as a fuel, but in order for the glucose to get into the cell, a “door” has to be opened, and only insulin knows the secret knock. Insulin is the hormone, made by the pancreas, that regulates the amount of glucose in your blood by offering it up to the cells. Once all the cells have their share, any extra glucose is shuttled into your fat stores for later, because your body can only handle so much glucose just floating in your blood stream. Bad things happen when there’s too much sugar in your blood stream. The system is quite brilliant, actually – and the majority of the time, it works pretty well. But, abuse the system, and things start to go haywire.
After excessive and/or constant carbohydrate consumption (yes, protein has affects on insulin as well), the cells (already full of fuel) just start “ignoring” insulin’s knocking. This would be the pre-diabetes stage (also referred to as “insulin resistance”). It is the cells’ subtle hint, “Enough already! Give me a break.” Maybe a little heart broken at first, insulin isn’t completely discouraged from performing its primary mission. It continues to keep blood glucose at a safe level by transporting all that sweet energy into fat. But eventually, the cells constant apathetic attitude takes its toll. The pancreas sees all its hard work of producing insulin as a complete waste of time and energy, so it simply makes less. I mean, the cells aren’t going to use it. They’ve got their own sugar stores packed to the brim, and you sure as heck aren’t going to listen to the lonely cries of rejected insulin and stop consuming SUGAR!
Well, less insulin means less control over rising blood sugars. And too much sugar is toxic to the body. Enter your doctor, who prescribes you Metformin (or some other obscure attempt at picking up the slack from your burnt out pancreas). “Awesome!” says your pancreas, “Now I don’t have to work at all to make this silly insulin!” Crap! I guess we need to start manually injecting ourselves with synthetic insulin, now! This would be Type II diabetes. Since the environment hasn’t changed (i.e. the toxin not removed), you continue to get worse. Just remember, your cells (at this point) need sugar like a competitive eater needs an all-you-can-eat buffet after a hot dog eating contest. So, if the cells aren’t going to accept any sugar, where is that synthetic insulin going to put all that extra carbohydrate? You guessed it! FAT.
According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health Information Center (holy crap that’s a mouthful), there is no “cure” for diabetes – BUT! It can be managed! [6] Well, they are kinda right. There is no magic pill that you can take to “cure” this condition. That much is true. Your body has adapted to its environment. If your environment doesn’t change, it will continue to deal with those stresses the way it’s evolved to over the past hundreds of thousands of years. But what if you changed the environment? What if…you removed the toxin?
Remember those stuck up cells that were too good for insulin? What if you played a little “hard to get?” What if you cut out the reason for them becoming tone deaf to the knocking? Like a date that suddenly becomes interesting when they stop smothering you and start dating someone else, insulin may still have a shot! Since excessive carbohydrate intake led to this problem, you’re probably wondering, “Maybe reducing the amount of sugar I consume on a daily basis would be a good start?” Yes. I think you’re on to something! And I know what you’re thinking…”If I stop poisoning my body and give it good, healthy foods – it will heal.” Now you’ve got it!
Later on, I’ll go into more detail about how insulin works in the body and how YOU can become the puppet master; how this hormone may not be the daemon everyone is making it out to be; how this all ties in to gaining weight and stimulating other physiological imbalances; and, the easy and effective lifestyle changes you can make (starting today) that will completely turn this thing around. Just think, in a few short weeks, you could be off that medication. In a handful of days, you could drop the mic on your doctor and strut out of that exam room beaming from the self-confidence you rightfully deserve for beating this. Don’t succumb to the outdated and hopeless disease management model and become another statistic that trends our impending doom. Be a part of this optimistic movement and start Heading Healthy, instead!
In an earlier post, I demonized insulin as the “fat storage hormone.” If you haven’t already, you can read it here. Anyway, in that article I explained how insulin makes fat – so, if that’s the business you’re in, you now know just what to do. But, what if you’re ready to lose fat?
It’s pretty simple, really. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. You will NOT be able to burn fat in the presence of insulin. Insulin transitions the body from a catabolic process (i.e. the breakdown of molecules to release energy) to an anabolic process (i.e. the synthesis of molecules to store energy). Insulin is the fat storage hormone. When insulin is absent, your body will break down your glycogen and fat stores to produce energy. When insulin is present, your body will fill all those reserves (after cell utilization of course) to be used at a later time. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. What is insulin? That’s right! The freakin’ fat storage hormone!
So, now that we know we won’t be able to lose weight while insulin is around (because insulin is the ___ _______ _______), what do we do about it? And what triggers the release of insulin in the first place? Well, I hit on sugar pretty hard in the previous post. Glucose, a sugar, also a carbohydrate, is one of the most well known factor that increases insulin secretion, but in reality proteins and fats do the same – just to a lesser extent. That means, whenever you eat or drink something, your body releases insulin. Check out the graphic below.
This chart illustrates the physiologic insulin secretion of a healthy pancreas. [1] Notice that, with every meal, insulin spikes. More importantly, take notice to how the levels of insulin drop in between meals and throughout the night when you’re asleep. If we overlay what we’ve learned about insulin being the gatekeeper for our body to store/burn fat, we get the following.
By now, the wheels should be turning… “So, Mr. Blogger-man,” you ponder, “all I have to do to burn fat, is to keep insulin low?” YES! Well, let’s put it this way…you are ONLY going to be able to burn fat when insulin is low. Remember that Red Light – Green Light game we used to play as kids? Think about that tomorrow when you wake up and fantasize about stuffing your face with a bagel or eggs and sausage, knowing that as soon as you do, you are flipping that switch out of fat burning mode. This is why intermittent fasting can be an incredibly valuable tool for losing weight. The longer you’re in the green, the longer you’re burning fat. The longer you’re burning fat, the MORE fat you burn, baby! Instead of eating right away, ask yourself if you’re really hungry and consider waiting for a bit longer. You’re not going to starve, and for goodness sake you don’t have to eat breakfast. Just give it a go and see how you feel. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is. Anyway, we can go into more detail about intermittent fasting later. Let’s get back to insulin, because there are two more points you need to understand.
Again, take notice to the green periods between meals. The above chart assumes you eat “meals.” This does not mean eat breakfast when you wake up, then have a coffee with cream and sugar on the commute in, then tackle those donuts someone brought in for the office, then eat a banana, and THEN eat lunch. Between lunch and dinner: you get a little groggy after lunch so you head to the vending machine and crack open a Red Bull, maybe munch on some pretzels as an afternoon snack along with a few innocent dippings into the candy bowl next to the sweet receptionist, and maybe one last coffee before you depart for the day (you know, so you can stay awake through the exceedingly boring commute home). Look. If you don’t give insulin a break, you’ll never get out of Fat Storing Mode!
Finally, understand that different foods give rise to varying levels of insulin response. We can chat about the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load another time, but know that carbohydrates (breads, pastas, sweets, et cetera) spike insulin higher and faster than proteins (chicken, fish, eggs, et cetera), which have a more moderate response. Fats (oils, nuts, butter, et cetera) barely trigger insulin at all, not to mention they satiate you longer so you can stretch that fat burning window and optimize progress.
The above information is really the cornerstone to fat burning and serves as a strong, healthy foundation on which to build from. Understanding the principles behind insulin is crucial in managing a healthy weight and especially important when recovering from metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Mastering your insulin levels takes practice, and may take a few lifestyle changes from what you may be accustom to – but that’s not to say it’s hard or painful. A few mindful tweaks and you’ll be a fat burning machine!
By the way, all of our recipes and principles have the above in mind – keep insulin levels low and optimize the fat burning time throughout the day. When you DO eat – eat good, nutrient rich, whole, real food. Don’t worry. We’ll keep you Heading Healthy!
We’re really excited to have BulkSupplements.com as part of the Heading Healthy family!
We do a lot of research before buying any supplements or products for our family. We want to make sure that the products are “clean,” legitimate, and affordable. BulkSupplements.com scores high in all three of those categories!
They offer pure dietary supplement ingredients at super low prices!
Due to over-farming and generally poor nutrition, most of us will struggle to get enough of the key vitamins and minerals we need to optimize our health. Some of the essential supplements we personally take daily are:
Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2
(10,000IU and 100mcg, respectively)
Potassium
(4,700mg)
Magnesium
(400mg)
We will only recommend products that we ourselves actually use and believe in because it adds value! We want to offer our experiences and research! So far, we’ve been really happy with the level of quality that comes from Bulk Supplements. They have everything from Potassium to Protein Powders, Magnesium Glycinate to Marshmallow Root Extract.
Located in Henderson, Nevada, BulkSupplements.com supplies over 400 pure nutritional supplement ingredients to hundreds of thousands of consumers and manufacturers. All of their products are available from grams to metric tons through their online store at BulkSupplements.com . Orders received before noon ship the same day, and they offer FREE shipping on orders over $49!
Their FDA-registered cGMP manufacturing and distribution facility has a staff of over 40 full-time employees that take pride in providing excellent customer service and producing quality products for our customers.
“The wellness of our community is important; Bulksupplements.com is dedicated to maintaining all health code and government regulations. Each supplement is tested in our in-house laboratory before distribution, ensuring that all products are safe for consumption. For any additional testing, we utilize reputable and vetted US-based independent labs.”
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Over one third of U.S. adults are obese [1], and listen – the cards are stacked against you.
It’s extremely hard, these days, to decipher what is healthy and what is unhealthy; what nutrients you need, and heck, what nutrients are! One day, saturated fats cause cancer, and the next day they are the cure all. Should I eat eggs or not? What the heck is cholesterol? But one thing is for certain, FOOD is good for you. Food-like products…well, they really aren’t. And I’m certain you already know this.
Take a look at the images below.
Which choice do you feel would be best for your body? In other words, which could your body use to help make new muscle or help heal ailing joints? Notice, I didn’t ask you which one you WANT, nor did I ask which one makes you hungry…that’s a topic for another post down the line, and believe me, the science behind that is amazing!
So, back to the topic at hand… According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Obesity results form a combination of causes and contributing factors, including individual factors such as behavior and genetics. Behaviors can include dietary patterns, physical activity, inactivity, medication use, and other exposures. Additional contributing factors in our society include the food and physical activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing and promotion.” [2] See! They are admitting that what and how you eat are directly being affected by your environment. So, what’s the big deal?
Well, what are you constantly reminded of? How many fast food joints surround your local grocery store? How often do you see an advertisement from local farmers’ markets? And be warned, unless you prepared your food from scratch – and by that I mean you started with real, whole food that you cleaned and cut and cooked your self – you forfeited your decision making abilities about your well being to whomever you bought it from. Do you think they had your best interests at heart? Do you think they care about you? Or perhaps, more plausibly, do their core values center around making money? After all, they are a business, right?
According to a 2016 article on NPR, “American kids see, on average, three to five ads for fast food per day. And about 50 percent of all ads directed at children are for food.” [3] Adds for fast food aren’t just on TV, either. They are littering our landscape with billboard ads and popping up all over our internet feeds. And it must be working, because BIG food industries (especially fast food companies) are spending BIG money on it! According to Fast Food FACTS (Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score) 2013, a total of $4.6 BILLIONwas spent on all advertising by fast food restaurants in 2012 (and 8% increase over 2009). McDonald’s spent 2.7 times as much to advertise its products as all fruit, vegetable, bottled water, and milk advertisers combined. [4] When was the last time you saw a commercial about broccoli or kale?
The truth is, the food industry knows that you know what’s good and not good for you. They know (if given the opportunity, exposure and choice) between their food products and actual, real food – you’d pick the food. So they spend all this money to convince you otherwise. They have brainwashed you into feeling “lost” without your Grande Caffe Vanilla Light Frappaccino Blended Coffee in one hand and that Grilled Breakfast Burrito Fiesta Potato in the other – all while trying to navigate bumper to bumper traffic with thousands of other hungry zombies on the way into work. And, let’s face it – they are doing an excellent job.
Heading Healthy is a movement dedicated to the awareness, education and guidance of just how out of touch we are with ourselves. Big food, big pharma, the medical industry, even some educational establishments all have one thing in common – investors. Their goal is to make money for their shareholders, and you see what they are willing to spend to make sure that happens. Who do you have backing you up in your corner? That, my friend…is us. We want to share the information with you, so that you can finally make informed decisions. We’re not going to try and convince you of feeling one way or another, either. We are simply going to submit the facts to you so that you can come to your own conclusions.
So, the next time you’re heading through the drive through, be aware. Are you making a conscious decision that has yourSELF in your best interests…or, are you falling victim to a corporate monster marketing scheme that’s designed to make you hand over a few more bucks? Take a hard look at that dollar (or card) as you reach over that counter (or out your car window). Before you put it into the pocket of some shareholder, consider investing it back into yourself. You’ll be a lot happier you did.
If you’re a diabetic, you have heard of insulin. Chances are pretty good that even if you’re not diabetic, you’ve at least heard the term before. But here is why you should be aware, and to some extent concerned about this little fella.
1. If you can’t or want to lose weight, insulin is most likely the reason.
2. If you are diabetic (Type I, Type II or prediabetic), insulin is the reason.
3. If you get hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic (i.e. you can’t regulate your blood sugars), insulin is the reason.
4. If you struggle to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, insulin is the reason.
5. If you have Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and/or other chronic diseases, insulin may very well be one of the reasons.
For the sake of this article, let’s concentrate on the first one. Why insulin is making you FAT.
Insulin is made by beta cells inside the pancreas. By the way, if you’re really curious about the cell biology behind how the beta cells actually make insulin, I recommend checking out this video on YouTube by khanacademymedicine. Their channel is one of my go to spots to geek out on the internet. Anyway, simply remember that the pancreas secretes insulin (among other things like digestive enzymes).
Insulin is a hormone. A hormone is a class of chemicals (more specifically, a class of signaling molecules) that are responsible for regulating certain physiology and behavior inside your body. It’s job is to signal your cells that, “glucose is here!” Once insulin docks with the cell, the cell will then (and only then) activate glucose transporters, which allow the glucose to enter the cell to be used for energy. More directly, without insulin, your cells would starve.
But what if the cells already have enough glucose, and quite simply, don’t need anymore energy? The body needs to keep blood glucose levels below 100 mg/dL [1], which equates to roughly 1 teaspoon of sugar (5 grams) that can be safely floating around in your system at any given time.
Insulin’s other function is to make sure the concentration of glucose in your blood does not exceed dangerous levels – which, if chronic in nature, may will result in cardiovascular disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney damage or failure, damage to blood vessels of the retina potentially leading to blindness, clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye (cataract), bone and joint problems, skin problems, bacterial infections, fungal infections and nonhealing wounds, and teeth and gum infections. By the way, early symptoms of the aforementioned chronic conditions may present as frequent urination, increased thirst, blurred vision, fatigue, headache, fruity-smelling breath, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, dry mouth, weakness, confusion, coma and abdominal pain. [2] Yuck! How’s that for making you think twice about downing a McCafe Shamrock Shake? I wonder how many McDonald’s would sell if they listed all those side effects on the menu?
[2] McDonald’s Shamrock Shake
Luckily, humans have evolved to deal with excessive indulgences such as Dairy Queen, Dunkin’ Donuts and the office bagel day – albeit, historically, this was called “summer” when fruits were plentiful and the body needed to store energy for times of famine. So what does insulin do with all that excess sugar floating around in your circulatory system? Well, it ingeniously stores all that potential energy as…FAT. That’s right! See, your body just can’t metabolize that entire “Gotta Have It” serving of your favorite Cold Stone Creamery concoction in one sitting, especially after cramming your face hole with a charbroiled double cheeseburger, large onion rings and large Coke from Carl’s Jr.. Insulin does it’s best to make sure the cells get all the “energy” they need from it and then, the rest…goes to storage. I mean, packing on a few extra pounds is much better than losing your eyesight, right?
Let’s try an analogy – let’s say your garbage collector comes every week to pick up your garbage, but he can only pick up 2 bags every week (yeah, not a very good collection service, but just bare with me).
Let’s also assume you have a household that’s Heading Healthy, and you only produce 1 bag of trash per week. Sounds good. Your house will get all of the trash picked up each week. Let’s say they have a party! Ooo, yeah! Now we’re talking. But, cleaning up for the party resulted in 2 extra bags of trash to put out for the week. Uh oh. Now there are 3 bags out there, but the collector will only pick up 2. The math says, your left with 1 bag on the curb until the following week. If you continue your healthy habits, you’ll only produce 1 more bag of trash (for a total of 2) for the following week. So, the next time the collection service comes around, you’ll be trash free.
Let’s now assume you have an UN-healthy household, and you produce 3 bags of trash per week. Remember, the trash guy (or gal) only picks up 2 per week. The math says, your left with 1 bag on the curb until the following week. But, next week you produce 3 more bags to pile on the curb – now there’s 4. They take 2, you keep 2. Next week, you make 3 to add to the 2 (now you have 5), they take 2, you keep 3…you get the point? Each week, more and more trash piles up in your driveway, because the waste management service simply can’t keep up with all the trash being produced. Don’t even think about having a party! Oh, you’re going to anyway? Sure. What’s the worst that could happen? It’s only trash, right? Well, soon you won’t be able to park that nice care in the driveway; soon, the mail carrier won’t be able to deliver your mail; soon, you’ll miss paying your bills because you couldn’t get your mail, and you’ll default on the house you can’t get out of because you’re surrounded in mountains of trash; and don’t even get me started on the smell!
In the above example, you could equate the property with your body; the house as your habbits; you are insulin; and the trash is sugar. The collection service is simply your body’s way of metabolizing and excreting what comes in.
Now, I’ve used glucose and sugar above, but this also carries over to carbohydrates. After all, carbohydrates are simply that – sugars. Yes they come in all sorts of forms and tastes and textures, but don’t be fooled. Carbs ARE sugars. After passing through your digestive system, glucose (sugar), is what almost ALL carbohydrates get broken down into. That’s not to say that “all carbs are the devil.” Not at all. It’s really a volume problem, and some products simply produce more trash than they need to. Likewise, you have the power to choose foods that have a higher level of nutrient density – which will yield much less trash YOU’RE ultimately responsible for getting rid of.
So, I hope I’ve at least made the connection between getting fat and insulin – and more so, how what (and how much) you eat affects insulin and how you gain weight. You see now why they call insulin the “fat storage hormone?” In another post, I’ll talk about ways you can keep insulin out of the picture so you can finally shed some of those unwanted pounds. I’ll also show you how easy it is to prevent and even reverse metabolic diseases (like diabetes) with simple lifestyle changes and NO medications within weeks!
