In this video, Dr. Ekberg discusses the devastating effects of insulin resistance, which he claims is the most costly and widespread disease in the world. He explains how insulin resistance affects the body, leading to conditions such as fatty liver, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, reduced immune function, and weight gain. Dr. Ekberg emphasizes that insulin resistance is directly linked to major diseases like heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, cancer, and even COVID-19. He argues that understanding insulin resistance is crucial for prevention and reversal, advocating for a low-carb/keto diet and intermittent fasting.
Key Insights:
– Insulin resistance is a devastating disease that claims more lives than cancer and is often poorly understood.
– Insulin resistance causes various damages to the body, including fatty liver, chronic inflammation, increased blood pressure, blood sugar imbalance, reduced immune function, and interference with the body’s self-cleaning mechanism.
– The disease is directly linked to several other serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, kidney failure, blindness, amputations, and increased cancer risk.
– Insulin resistance exists on a continuum, ranging from prediabetes to diabetes. Optimal blood sugar levels are important for overall health and should be a priority.
– Insulin resistance affects a significant portion of the population worldwide, with millions of people already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and many more undiagnosed or at risk.
– The root cause of insulin resistance is excessive consumption of sugar and starch, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and subsequent insulin imbalance.
– The healthcare system predominantly focuses on treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of insulin resistance.
– To reverse insulin resistance, individuals should prioritize a diet focused on real, whole foods and avoid processed and fake foods. Low-carb or ketogenic diets can be particularly effective. Intermittent fasting is also a powerful tool to support insulin sensitivity and reverse the condition.
Transcript
Hello Health Champions! Today, I want to talk about the most devastating disease in the world. It claims many more lives than cancer, and most people who have it don’t even know it. We’re going to talk about how it does its damage, why it is so poorly understood, and of course, how you can protect yourself.
This disease causes damage in various ways. It leads to fatty liver, chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, reduced helpful cholesterol (HDL), increased harmful inflammatory cholesterol (LDL), increased triglycerides, and weight gain around the belly. Additionally, it reduces immune function, interferes with the body’s ability to defend itself, decreases autophagy (cellular cleaning), and is directly linked to various diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations. It also increases the risk of dying from serious infections. In fact, this disease is involved in over 95% of all degenerative diseases.
So, what is this mysterious disease? It is insulin resistance. Many people are unaware of the detrimental effects of insulin resistance while others might brush it off, believing it’s not a significant issue. However, this would be a mistake. Insulin resistance is the most devastating disease on the planet, both in terms of financial costs and human suffering.
You might argue that everyone has to die of something, and these diseases are just considered old people diseases. While that may be true, people with insulin resistance and these degenerative diseases spend years, sometimes even decades, in a state of declining health and suffering. Their quality of life decreases significantly, and they are unable to do the things they enjoy. They require medication, assistance, and their overall well-being, including energy, mood, and productivity, is greatly affected. Additionally, insulin resistance is responsible for more deaths than any other disease. When we look at the numbers, we see that insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome contribute to more deaths than cancer, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes combined. It is estimated that deaths from these metabolic diseases are 364% higher than deaths from cancer alone.
But what is often misunderstood about insulin resistance is that it is not a binary condition. It’s not a matter of either having it or not having it. It is a spectrum, ranging from mild insulin resistance to prediabetes to full-blown diabetes. The medical community uses specific criteria to diagnose diabetes, such as an A1C level of 6.5 or higher. However, being pre-diabetic, which is when the A1C level is between 5.7 and 6.4, is a significant indicator of insulin resistance and a strong likelihood of progressing to diabetes within five years. On the optimal end of the spectrum, an A1C level between 4.8 and 5.1 is considered optimal. However, even being slightly above this range indicates movement towards insulin resistance and should be taken seriously.
Insulin resistance is prevalent worldwide, with millions of people affected. In the United States alone, 30 million people have type 2 diabetes, and globally, it is estimated that 463 million people have diabetes. The numbers are expected to double in the next few decades. Additionally, there are millions of people who are officially pre-diabetic or slipping towards insulin resistance.
Obesity and overweight are strongly linked to insulin resistance, with over 70% of people in the US being overweight and around a third of the world’s population falling into the overweight category. The prevalence of obesity has skyrocketed over the years, along with diabetes rates, displaying an exponential growth pattern.
Understanding what insulin does and where insulin resistance comes from is crucial in addressing the problem. Insulin is necessary to transport nutrients from the blood to the cells so they can be utilized for energy. However, when the cells start resisting insulin, there is a good reason behind it – the body’s attempt to return to homeostasis. Cells resist insulin when it is overstimulated, either due to excessive sugar and starch consumption.
No one wants excess fat on their body, and fat has often been blamed for various health issues. However, the root cause is not fat but rather the excessive consumption of sugar and starch. The body’s lipogenesis (fat production) increases, resulting in fat storage, decreased metabolism, and decreased breakdown of fat. These are direct consequences of insulin resistance and excessive insulin production to control blood sugar.
Calories are not the main concern when it comes to preventing or reversing insulin resistance; it is the type of food that triggers insulin. Eating real food, single-ingredient, non-processed, and avoiding fake food is crucial in prevention. For those already insulin resistant, a low-carb/keto diet is beneficial, focusing on reducing carbohydrates. Intermittent fasting is also an effective tool in reversing insulin resistance.
The healthcare system’s current approach of symptom treatment rather than addressing the root cause has not been successful. Billions of dollars are spent each year on healthcare in the United States, yet the prevalence of diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic conditions continues to rise. It is vital to understand the depth of the problem and the mechanisms involved in insulin resistance to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
In conclusion, insulin resistance is a devastating disease with far-reaching effects on health and well-being. Understanding its causes and mechanisms helps individuals take the necessary steps to prevent or reverse insulin resistance and improve overall health. Eating real food, reducing carbohydrates, and intermittent fasting are essential components in addressing insulin resistance and achieving optimal health.
