Welcome to the fourth edition of Viewpoints, our monthly e-newsletter.
We at Insulite Laboratories are gratified by the announcement this month that
the U.S. Government has re-defined obesity as a medical condition. This
is good news indeed for those of you dealing with obesity.
With more than 60% of Americans overweight and 30% obese, the move has been a
long time coming. Medical research has shown that Insulin Resistance is the key
factor in being overweight. We are dedicated to helping you reverse this
condition and avoid its serious implications for your health.
We hope that obesity’s new status will encourage you to think about improving
your health and, consequently, your life.
Let Insulite Laboratories be an importance resource in achieving that goal.
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“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
- Albert Einstein
Rise to the challenge of succeeding.
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| INTELLIGENCE REPORT |
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1-in-5 Pre-Menopausal Women
May
Suffer From PCOS
The prevalence of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) makes for unsettling reading. As many as 1-in-5
pre-menopausal women may suffer from this condition, which is caused by an imbalance of hormones
linked to the way the body processes insulin.
Precise figures for the incidence of PCOS, also known as Stein-Levanthal Syndrome or Chronic
Anovulatory Syndrome, are hard to pin down because many women could be asymptomatic - i.e.
there is no single symptom that guides an individual to get a clinical diagnosis. Each woman will
have a different set of symptoms.
But PCOS is the most common endocrine, or hormonal, problem in women who menstruate, affecting
approximately 7% of all females of reproductive age in America. Some 40% of women with a family
history of PCOS will inherit the condition. Of those diagnosed with PCOS, 90% have hyperinsulinemia,
or insulin overproduction, while 40% will be significantly overweight.
Up to 70% of PCOS sufferers have some degree of Insulin Resistance, the condition in which the surface
of the cells has insufficient insulin receptors to absorb glucose (blood sugar). Denied entry to the
cell to become energy, glucose remains in the blood stream where it causes elevated blood sugar, which
is sent to the liver. It is then stored throughout the body after being converted to fat.
Research suggests that early detection and treatment of Insulin Resistance could achieve dramatic
improvements in PCOS-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes,
infertility-elevated cholesterol levels,
cancers connected with estrogen-excess and hypertension.
In addition to Insulin Resistance, common PCOS symptoms include obesity and menstrual irregularities
like the absence of menses or heavier than normal bleeding. Other symptoms are multiple ovarian cysts,
acne and signs of excess of the male hormone androgen– e.g. facial hair growth and male pattern baldness.
Obesity is the major underlying factor that causes PCOS. Insulin Resistance, in
turn, is the major cause of obesity. However, lean women can also have PCOS.
Excess weight gain increases the conversion of androgens to estrogens. This
imbalance of hormones, which causes PCOS, often seems linked with the way the
body processes insulin.
The pancreas produces insulin, which regulates the body’s use of glucose. Insulin problems can cause high
levels of male hormones in women, increasing the number of circulating estrogens, which directly affect
the production of cystic follicles on the ovaries.
The natural treatment of PCOS should begin with lifestyle changes to reverse Insulin Resistance.
A plan to lose weight through exercise and eating more healthfully, combined
with a regime of nutritional
supplements, can reverse this condition.
Click here to learn about the Insulite System’s Pure Natural Ingredients.
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| NEW RESEARCH |
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DOES INSULIN RESISTANCE START
EARLY IN LIFE?
Childhood Eating Habits May
Be the Spur
A recent study suggests that Insulin Resistance may begin earlier than was previous thought by the
medical community. Researchers discovered that very young rats fed a high carbohydrate diet over a
24-day period developed hyperinsulinemia, the overproduction of insulin.
In humans, this condition is caused by Insulin Resistance which can lead to PCOS as well
as Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome. These latter two syndromes consist of a collection of metabolic
abnormalities that put sufferers at risk of a stroke or coronary heart disease.
The researchers concluded that the biological, cellular and molecular changes that brought on
hyperinsulinemia in the rats would form the basis for the onset of obesity in adulthood.
SOURCE: Neonatal Nutrition: metabolic programming of the pancreas and obesity, Exp Biol Med 2003 Jan; 228(1):15-23
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DR. MARY'S VIEW:
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“It’s never too early to change your eating habits or exercise routine.”
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This study clearly shows that what animals eat in the first few weeks of life can
impact their biochemical reaction to food even into adulthood. Insulin
Resistance may have earlier origins that we previously thought regarding the
predisposition towards having a pancreas that over-produces insulin.
We know that Insulin Resistance stems in adulthood from the high consumption
of carbohydrates, lack of physical exercise and nutrient deficiencies. But
we now have information that may clarify why some people could be more
predisposed to Insulin Resistance than others.
These findings may be motivational for families. If children frequently eat
meals that are consistently high in carbohydrates, they are more likely to
struggle in their adult years with obesity.
Another study,* released this month, suggests that children who watch more
than two hours of television a night seem to be at a higher risk of becoming
obese or smokers as adults. Researchers assessed, at regular intervals,
1,000 people born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1972-73 until age 26.
They investigated links between childhood TV viewing and body mass index,
cardio-respiratory fitness, cholesterol levels, smoking status and blood
pressure. The study discovered that even an average weeknight TV viewing of
one to two hours between the ages of 5 and 15 was associated with higher
body-mass indices, lower cardio-respiratory fitness, increased smoking and
raised cholesterol.
Insulin Resistance is the major underlying cause of obesity. But the good
news is that it’s never too early to change your eating habits or exercise
routines.
Dr. Mary Shackelton, MPH ND, is the Medical Director of Insulite Laboratories.
*Source: Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, New Zealand, reported in The Lancet, London.
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| WEIGHT LOSS: MYTH OR FACT? |
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Myth: Rapid weight loss promised by new diets is long-lasting.
Fact: Research shows that the rapid weight loss promoted by most fad
diets is almost immediately followed by rapid weight gain. Your body has a
memory and, if you’ve been overweight for a while, it recognizes that weight
level as normal.
When you lose weight quickly, your body doesn’t have time to get used to the
change. It registers the rapid weight loss as abnormal so that, once you stop
the diet, the body tries to return as quickly as possible to the normal
retaining of fat.
The best way to avoid the “rebound effect” is to acclimate your body to change
by losing weight gradually.
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| CONSULT DR. MARY |
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Q. Is Insulin Resistance the same thing as Type 2 Diabetes?
A. No. Insulin Resistance may occur for many decades
before Type 2 Diabetes is diagnosed. With Insulin Resistance, the pancreas is
producing too much insulin. With Diabetes, the pancreas can no longer produce
insulin.
If treated early, Insulin Resistance does not eventually become Diabetes and
does not require the daily administration of medication to control the disease.
I would like to emphasize that, with a proper diet combined with nutrients and a
moderate exercise plan, you can reverse Insulin Resistance, which will
ultimately ensure the prevention of Diabetes.
Click here
for to read “Pre-Diabetes – Are You at Risk?” by Dr. Mary Shackelton, MPH ND
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“I have been following the guidelines in your newsletter and have lost even more weight.”
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Dr. MJ Lewis
Honolulu, HI
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| DID YOU KNOW? |
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GROUP SUPPORT CAN HELP
YOU LOSE WEIGHT
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Research suggests that group support can be a big help in shedding extra
pounds. Scientists across America compared people who were attempting to
lose weight on their own with a group enrolled in a commercial weight
loss program. A total of 400 adults were divided into either the
“self-helpers” or the “commercial program group.”
The “self-helpers” met with a dietician several times who advised about
healthy eating and exercise, while those in the commercial program
attended weekly meetings where they were weighed in, provided with
educational material and given social support. Weight loss was monitored
every 3-4 months for 2 years. At the end of the study, 50% of those in
the commercial program were able to lose “significant amounts of weight”
while only 29% of the “self-helpers” were able to achieve the same
degree of weight loss.
Source: Weight loss with self-help compared with a structured commercial program. S. Heshka, J. Anderson, R. Atkinson, et al., JAMA, 2003, vol. 289, pp. 1792--1798
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Women who train in a group exercise class are better able to stick to a
regular fitness routine. Group classes offer social and moral support
and help to boost motivation.
Click here to see the kind of Support Messages Insulite Customers receive
every week.
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“Just go out there and do what you have to do.”
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- Martina Navratilova
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Attitude is a major force in achieving success.
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INSULITE LIFESTYLE: TIPS
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Most people have heard of aerobic exercise. But do you know how to gauge whether
you are actually experiencing aerobic activity?
AEROBIC EXERCISE IS ANY EXTENDED ACTIVITY that increases your respiratory rate
by using the large muscle groups at a regular and even pace. Examples include
brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, aerobic dancing and racquet sports.
There’s also rowing, ice or roller skating, skiing, hiking or using a stationary
bike or treadmill.
To benefit from aerobic activity, try to get your heart rate into "a target
heart zone," which is 50-75% of your maximum heart rate. Use the chart below to
determine your own “target heart zone.”
| Age | Target Heart Zone (50-75%) | Average Maximum Heart Rate (100%) |
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| 20-30 | 98-146 beats per minute | 195 beats per minute |
| 31-40 | 93-138 | 185 |
| 41-50 | 88-131 | 175 |
| 51-60 | 83-123 | 165 |
| 61+ | 78-116 | 155 |
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To determine if you are exercising in your target heart zone, take your
pulse at your wrist or neck for 6 seconds then multiply by 10. If your heart
rate is higher than the target heart zone, slow down just a bit. If it’s
below, increase your speed slightly.
When you are returning to exercise or beginning for the first time, aim for the
lower number (50%) in the range for your heart zone and slowly build to the
higher number (75%).
Don’t forget to consult a physician before beginning an exercise regime if your
doctor has ever told you have heart problems.
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