Anabolic hormone that is critical for life.

Today's post I'd like to share with you is the importance of optimizing our hormone insulin and how to regulate a healthy insulin response.

The hormone insulin is absolutely vital for life if we do not create insulin or have enough insulin levels driving into our cells liver,muscles we will die. This is why type 1 diabetics have to take injections.

Insulin is an anabolic hormone which helps with growth. It also transports glucose into our cells,liver and muscles.

The term insulin resistance is a condition which effects the delivery of glucose into the cells liver and muscles. The damaged receptors that transport insulin have become ineffective and cannot perform optimally. This creates confusion from insulin to the brain-thus resulting in an overload response being delivered to damaged receptors.

A large increase of insulin in the body is highly inflammatory,this inflammation is extremely harmful to our bodies. Heart disease,cancers and a host of different illnesses can grow and develop in such an unhealthy environment.

A big spike in insulin from a meal can also bring our blood sugar levels down, this plummet will often make us feel even hungrier than before we started eating.

Important note when we have high insulin 

in our bloodstream we are not efficient at burning fat. Insulin high-growth hormone levels low,not an ideal state for muscle repair,growth or burning unwanted fat.

The condition polycystic ovary syndrome is a direct result of insulin resistance.

Mike Mahler top kettlebell trainer and hormone researcher suggests having  morning fasted insulin levels below 5ulU/ml,is optimal.

So what can we do to improve insulin sensitivity?

I recently posted a blog talking about the benefits of Leptin on the 24.08.15 

(Your hormones determine how you feel and act everyday. Getting out of Leptin resistance with healthy nutritional choices will have profound effects on how we perform in our workouts and in life.)

The same strategies that work for Leptin resistance also benefit  insulin.

Make sure to keep carbohydrate intake low/medium no more than 50% of calories and avoid high glycemic meals.

Protein,fat,with carbohydrates from low glycemic sources to regulate insulin glucagon ratio.

Bigger stretches between each meal improves insulin sensitivity and boosts growth hormone levels.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve the bodies ability to increase insulin sensitivity. Pick one day in the week where you have your evening meal at 8pm then don't eat again til 8pm the following day. Just water no stimulants like tea,coffee they will drive up insulin. 

Large quantities of caffeine will also raise insulin levels 1-2 cups a day is a good amount if you don't suffer from stress as this can cause adrenaline resistance.

Invest in two training sessions per week that are high intensity ie sprinting sandbag training,kettlebell training,tabata protocol(8 sets of 20 secs max work, 

10 secs complete rest between working sets.) This type of training will pull insulin out of the bloodstream and replenish our cells,liver and muscles.

Use coconut oil to feed the cells rather than an insulin response. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil nourish our cells so insulin is not needed. The added benefit of coconut oil is that it stops Insulin spikes from taking place due to the fat within it, this lowers the glycemic index of a meal that  

could normally lead to insulin resistance.

I take 1-2 tablespoons twice a day in my smoothies or between meals to shut down my sugar cravings and boost sustained energy for my workouts. I use Lucy Bee organic coconut oil. 

Stocked at Sainsburys or amazon if you prefer to shop online.

There you have it! An overview of the hormone insulin. What it is. How it operates within the body and different ways to regulate it healthily. 

Next post I will talk about useful supplementation to improve insulin sensitivity.

Be mindful-Be real-Be yourself