Adult onset Diabetes is a common occurrence impeding society’s health due to the consumption of sugary foods and decreased physical activity. High glycemic index foods such as breads, crackers and “on-the-go” breakfast bars contribute to the insulin spiking effects that can develop into Diabetes. Lack of physical activity from sedentary professions and stressful lifestyles cause muscles to become inactive, losing the ability to identify insulin correctly and lead to insulin resistance. Add in the busy lifestyle of having to get food while running around in our cars with the convenience of fast food, we have the perfect storm to introduce the driving forces that afflict our society in becoming Pre-Diabetic and developing Adult Onset Diabetes. The threat of self-inflicting Diabetes is increasingly prevalent in our society. However, by understanding what causes that threat, we can utilize preventative measures by understanding how to correctly utilize the hormone insulin and adhering to an active lifestyle.
Hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body’s blood stream bonding onto cells to facilitate a specific function. Insulin is a hormone that will bond onto connective tissue cells and allow the transport of sugar from the blood stream into those cells. From an exercise physiology perspective, two important cells that are affected by insulin are the skeletal muscle cells and the fat cells underneath our skin. Insulin gets released from the pancreas after a specific food is consumed. Foods possessing a high glycemic index such as breads, sodas and other processed grains will release a higher concentration of insulin into the blood stream. Whereas as food with a lower glycemic index such as broccoli, nuts, and lean proteins will not release as much insulin into the blood stream.
The designation of what cells utilize insulin is influenced by the amount physical activity performed. When physical activity such as exercise is performed, skeletal muscle is broken down. As the muscles break down, the body recognizes the needto repair the muscle is present, introducing the condition in which protein can be shuttled into the cell to facilitate muscle resynthesis. Following a bout of exercise, the muscle cells are now in an insulin sensitive state where the introduction of insulin in the body will benefit the rebuilding of the muscle cells. As insulin bonds on to damaged muscle cells, sugar from the blood stream flows into the muscle. This influx of sugar into the muscle will give the muscle the energy it needs to grab on to free floating proteins in the blood stream and bond them to the damaged site to reinforce the architecture of the muscle cell. This is on f the most beneficial methods of increasing insulin sensitivity and fending off factors leading to the development of Type 2 Diabetes.
On the other end, lack of physical activity will lead the muscle cells to ignore the presence of insulin after digesting insulin triggering foods. As muscles cannot detect insulin, the insulin will now travel past the muscle cell to the next best thing, the fat cells. Fat cells will gladly allow insulin to their front door which trigger sugar from the blood stream to travel into the fat cells. Similar to how muscle cells grow when insulin bonds to them, so will fat cells underneath the skin. Not only will this state of insulin resistance lead to becoming overweight, but it can also contribute to adult onset Diabetes. The development of adult onset diabetes, or type 2 Diabetes, is self-inflicted by insufficient physical activity and unwise dietary decisions. Along with becoming overweight due to being insulin resistant, the detrimental effects of having poor circulation, increased hunger, and increased levels of fatigue occur as Diabetes develops. The presence of Diabetes will require a multitude of medications to counteract the deadly conditions it imposes to the body.
The most powerful solution to prevent the development of Diabetes is to participate in physical activity on a regular occurrence. We teach our Napa Personal Training clients to participate in a form of resistance training at least once per week. The addition of exercises that create muscular soreness indicate muscular damage, leading to the body being able to utilize insulin constructively in creating more lean muscle mass. In addition to adhering to regular forms of exercise, we also remind our Personal Training clients in Napa what foods might be higher in the glycemic index. Limiting foods such as breads, cereals and dairy products is a technique that will help manage insulin levels.
Using exercise and a mindful approach on diet are not only beneficial to decreasing the risk of Diabetes but are effective in so many other ways in our lives to improve our Life Time Fitness. If we can utilize exercise and a positive outlook on nutrition, we can help our bodies to fend off disease to live stronger, happier and healthier lives.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
