Insulin - The Root Cause of Disease

Show Summary: “When glucose goes up, it can kill you.”

Essentially, human metabolism is fueled by two energy sources, those are glucose and fat. But too much intake, especially of glucose, puts your health at risk. That's where insulin comes in, which keeps your blood glucose within the normal range.

Every cell responds to insulin differently. So if a person has insulin resistance, it means that some of his cells are resistant (ex. muscle). While, some are sensitive as they were (ex. cells in the ovaries or on the adrenal gland), which sends the wrong signal to the body to produce more hormones and causes a vast dysfunction.

In this episode with Dr. Benjamin Bikman, the author of the book Why We Get Sick, they break the misconception about insulin resistance. They also discuss why monitoring your insulin (not just your glucose) can be your lifesaver. Please share this with your family and friends to help us spread the word and save more people suffering from Diabetes and insulin resistance.

Exceptional Highlight:

• Rather than looking at insulin as an anabolic hormone at the muscle, look at it as anti-catabolic. It prevents the breakdown of the muscle protein. And you don't need a big insulin spike to do that.
• If the mitochondria aren't working well, then there's no question. Virtually every chronic disease is waiting for you.
• We should be very grateful. Every time we're putting something in our mouth, we should realize that this came from something that was once alive. Whether it was a plant or animal and now its death can enrich us and help us live longer.

Show Highlights: 

What is the book, “Why We Get Sick” about?

Benjamin 1:32

• The premise of the book is maybe a good way to start. The idea is that metabolic health essentially underlies good health or disease, that when our metabolic health is in disarray, then the consequence will be chronic diseases.

What would happen if glucose is high?

Benjamin 12:09

• If glucose is high around the 200 milligrams per deciliter range for several hours, you will start to lose plasma volume or water from your blood as that glucose in that water is getting pulled into your urine.

What is insulin resistance?

Benjamin 16:55

•  It is the process where insulin is simply less able to do what it used to do in a cell. And, of course, every different cell responds to insulin differently. And so it's no surprise that when I say insulin isn't working well, that affects some cells more than others.

What are the causes of insulin resistance?

Benjamin 22:26

• One is chronically elevated stress. The other is inflammation. And then the third is you're eating a diet that is forcing your insulin levels to be up all the time. So chronically elevated insulin is a cause of insulin resistance.

Important Links

Why We Get Sick

Dr. Benjamin Bikman Instagram

Get Health Blog

Other important links

Send us a text