What is insulin resistance?

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The cluster of medical conditions that make up the insulin resistance syndrome or metabolic syndrome places a person at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It is estimated that 34% of adult Americans have insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.

Diseases or conditions associated with insulin resistance include the following:

  • Obesity
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Abnormal cholesterol levels
  • Heart disease
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome

What Is Insulin Resistance?

Normally, food is absorbed into the bloodstream in the form of sugars such as glucose and other basic substances. The increase in sugar in the bloodstream signals the pancreas (an organ located behind the stomach) to increase the secretion of a hormone called insulin. This hormone attaches to cells, removing sugar from the bloodstream so that it can be used for energy.

Read more from diabetes web…

Peter Attia: Is the obesity crisis hiding a bigger problem?

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As a young surgeon, Peter Attia felt contempt for a patient with diabetes. She was overweight, he thought, and thus responsible for the fact that she needed a foot amputation. But years later, Attia received an unpleasant medical surprise that led him to wonder: is our understanding of diabetes right? Could the precursors to diabetes cause obesity, and not the other way around? A look at how assumptions may be leading us to wage the wrong medical war.

Here’s Peter’s TED talk, enjoy!