Metabolism is how our body [biochemically] processes the foods that we eat into fuel in order to maintain life.
When we eat fats, carbohydrates and protein [macronutrients], they are processed in our body in a fairly predictable way. If these foods are not being handled in the ways that they are supposed to be in our body, that means one's metabolism is NOT flexible.
When the tires start falling off our car metabolically, we are walking headlong into metabolic inflexibility and subsequently Metabolic Disease.
Building a Fire - Fats, Carbohydrates, Proteins.
Fat is for slow burn fuel and satiety, big logs.
Carbohydrates are for fast burning, kindling.
Protein is for building blocks, logs.
We are now at a place where 94% of US adults are metabolically “broken”.
A broken metabolism leads to:
High Blood Pressure
Increased Obesity
Cardiovascular Disease -organ damage body-wide
Cognitive Issues like brain shrinkage, inflammation, dementia, Alzeheimer's Disease [diabetes of the brain]
Osteoarthritis [diabetes of the joints]
Osteoporosis [diabetes of the bones]
Inflammation
Cancer
Infertility
Hormonal Imbalances
Genetic Fallout [for obesity and metabolic dysfunction in future generations]
Immune Dysfunction [higher risk of infections, viruses, pneumonia]
The list of negative impacts is endless and any modern disease can be tied to metabolic dysfunction.
A Slow Drip Poison.
When we are finally diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, the damage has likely been going on for a decade or more and these assaults have been “breaking” our finely-tuned metabolism.
Eventually, our fasting glucose rises above 124 and an official diagnosis is given - Type 2 Diabetes. This diagnosis didn't just happen overnight because pre-diabetes had been smoldering, usually undiscovered for many years prior, bringing with it all the disease processes listed above.
Think of this 'metabolic breaking' as a continuum. Beginning with the body becoming "less flexible" in how it processes the foods we eat, we then develop low-grade insulin resistance. This increases our visceral fat [fat under the muscle layer around our organs], resulting in greater waist circumference, higher blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.
At this point, we usually experience symptoms of low blood sugar. This symptom shows up as irritability and hunger commonly named - "hangry".
Our metabolism is beginning to show the strain of too much available energy [sugar]. This requires our body to shuttle excess glucose out of our blood stream to keep us balanced. Unfortunately, after all available storage is full, excess sugar gets deposited into our liver as fat [elevated triglycerides].
What Happens Next - The Metabolic Cascade To Brokenness.
Full-blown Insulin Resistance
Increased Weight Gain [this perpetuates the problem] and continued
Inflexible Metabolism
When this cascade occurs, our body is no longer managing the foods we eat. Our diet of high carbohydrates propels this process forward.
Our cells begin to starve because of the resistance to absorb this available energy. This means that the sugars [glucose/energy] remain in our bloodstream resulting in higher glucose levels.
To address the ever-increasing blood glucose levels, our pancreas continues pumping out more and more insulin to move this abundant energy into our cells. Unfortunately, this moves us toward the diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes.
At this point, our cells are no longer responding to all the available insulin. This excess insulin affects our organs, brain, and immune systems resulting eventually in fatty liver.
Here's another huge problem. This inflammation is a firestorm to our arteries. Heart disease is a direct result of increased insulin levels.
Most of us will remain in this scenario for about a decade, before diabetes is diagnosed.
With 94% of US adults experiencing this scenario, it’s really no surprise that we have skyrocketing rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer happening. Do you see the clear link between why the US was hit so hard with the Covid Virus?
Pre-diabetes, Isn’t “pre” Anything!
Even if diagnosed, most of us won't heed the warning that Type 2 Diabetes is coming. The term "Pre-diabetes" doesn't seem to stir people into action as it should. The siren call should be heard from every healthcare practictioner;
"You're headed straight into diabetes, and the damage is already happening”.
This pre-diabetes diagnosis never seemes to get people to pivot very hard, until their labs finally reveal Type 2 Diabetes.
Sadly, we believe that 'if it runs in our family', it’s only a matter of time and there’s nothing we can do.
This is a big fat lie we believe.
Here’s the truth; there's no drug or supplement to solve this crisis. Our actions and choices, many times unknowingly, brought us to this place- but there is good news.
Changing Our Outcomes.
Step 1- Realizing The Problem.
Is your waist circumference >35" if you're a woman, >40" if you're a man?
Are you moving your body every day and strength training) 2 X week?
Is your blood pressure elevated? >120/70?
Remeber This.
When our waist circumference is elevated, and we are not exercising regularly and our blood pressure is rising, we have some level of metabolic disease - an inflexible metabolism - that's broken.
The recognized standards for Metabolic Syndrome- when 3 out of the 5 criteria below are met:
Waist circumference over 35" (women) or 40" (men)
Blood pressure over 130/85 mmHg
Fasting triglyceride (TG) level over 150 mg/dl
Fasting HDL cholesterol level < 40 mg/dl (men) or <50 mg/dl (women)
Fasting blood sugar over 100 mg/dl
You can have all of the above markers assessed by asking your doctor to test you for metabolic syndrome.
Blood pressure can be measured at home or at most drug stores.
Blood work for triglycerides and HDL are generally on a standard blood panel.
Now is a great time to realize that you do need to know these numbers and to not rely on your doctor to be your health proxy.
In our standard of care system, unless it can be medicated, removed or given a name- there is little that can be done. This has led our nation to this dismal state with over 90% of adults in metabolic decline.
Studies point to waist circumference as being a HUGE predictor for Type 2 Diabetes.
Get a tape mesure and do it today - This will tell you a lot.
Step 2- The Solution to Avoiding a 100% Lifestyle/Dietary Disease.
We live inside, work under fluorescent lights, and we eat highly processed foods that elevate convenience and cheap over nutrition. This leads to why we are here today - Metabolically busted.
The solution isn’t fancy, doesn't require boatloads of time and money - but it’s not always easy.
Try This.
Lift heavy things [this soaks up the excess glucose in our blood stream]
Walk often outside[ helps with weight management and stress],
Cut out refined sugars [especially high fructose corn syrup in packaged/processed foods]
Avoid seed oils [use butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee]
Cook at home [this will make a huge impact on your health]
Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night [allow your body to do the clean-up it requires each night]
Avoid refined carbohydrates [snacks in packages have created many problems, try real foods instead]
Address the stress [sunlight, deep breathing, movement, connecting with others]
Be mindful of circadian rhythms [go outside and get light in your eyes morning, afternoon, and evening for best metabolism, and sleep]
Close the kitchen early [aim to eat during daylight hours and give your body a 12- hour break from dusk to dawn]
Prioritize protein [aim for real sources first like beef, 30+ gr. at each meal, and use protein powders sparingly]
Know your numbers [especially what your blood sugars are doing]
Consider Using a Continuous Glucose Monitor [CGM]
Since knowing is half the battle, the BEST tool to actually see the impact on your blood sugars through the foods you eat and how they're impacting your blood sugars [a strong marker for their actual metabolic flexibility], is the Continuous Glucose Monitor.
Using a CGM for at least a month or more is one of the absolute best tools I've found to help assess what's happening.
Here’s what I’m learning from using a CGM.
Insulin response directly on the CGM app.
What spikes my blood sugar, is it occasional or all day long?
My spike duration, fast- coming down quickly, or long- a drawn out rise and fall indicating insulin resistance.
Which foods are causing this long rise and fall?
What is stress doing to my blood sugars?
How is my sleep impacting my blood sugar?
All of this information is incredibly helpful in determining how to eat, move, sleep and reduce the stressors so that I can improve my metabolic health and flexibility, as well as why that stubborn belly fat is hanging on!
Good News!
The best part is that you can have a CGM delivered to your home WITHOUT a prescription.
Dexcom has developed the Stelo Glucose Biosensor. With the use of a smartphone, it gives you the information you need to begin making changes. Because this is a glucose biosensor, you can use it without a prescription so that many more of us can track our blood sugar numbers.
It’s even FSA/HSA eligible, so what’s keeping you from investing in something that can make an impact and Move Your Needle toward better health?
Move Your Needle - Become Empowered! [4 weeks/ 30 min. weekly zoom check-in]
This class is designed as a proactive approach to actually know [data doesn't lie] how food, movement, stress and sleep affect your blood sugar and how to create a lifestyle plan to lower blood sugar levels to prevent joining the 94% of a metabolically busted population.
[Each student will receive instruction on how to apply sensor and how to use the app.]
Cost: $39.00 *
Begins: Tuesday January 7th. 9-9:30 am/ 6:30-7:00 pm
Ends: Tuesday January 28th.
*Requirements: Dexcom Biosensor-$99. https://www.stelo.com
1 month supply includes 2 sensors & app.
Minimum requirements for app - smartphone OS: iOS 16.2/ Android 12 [best iOS 17.2/ Android 14, Apple Watch OS 9.1.0
It's Time to Own Your Health.
I’m so excited about offering this amazing opportunity as a way to empower you to own your health. As I move into my final month of Move My Needle, I have learned a lot about myself.
Making health shifts is hard, but when I can connect the “why”, I find I have greater motivation to stay the course.
This 4-week class with a monitor is designed to give you actual data so that you too can make 2025 your best health year ever!
I hope you’ll sign up today.
You can reach out via my website
Fill out the waitlist form and in the Message box write: morning or evening class.
Hope to see you in January.
Thanks for reading,
Jan
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