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Insulin and Weight Loss or Weight Gain?

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Understanding Insulin: Weight Loss and Insulin Weight Gain. It is all about the pancreas and insulin production.!

How is your pancreas today?

I'll bet you haven't been asked that question today. However, as a diabetic I have learned a little about how important that quiet little organ that sits behind the stomach producing insulin is! This petite life-giving bioactive machine also churns out digestive enzymes and glycogens. The pancreas acts as a master juggler in this three ring circus. For a diabetic, endocrine disorders are the results when this organ malfunctions. This lens deals with the resulting insulin weight gain and insulin weight loss.

Insulin and weight loss/ weight gain Site: Table of Contents

The Pancreas and Insulin Weight Loss
Insulin Weight Loss & Insulin Weight Gain
Insulin Weight Gain
Insulin Weight Loss
Information, Help, and Resources For Weight Loss
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Video Help to Lose Weight
User Links on Insulin Weight Loss and Diabetes
Two great books to help define the relation between insulin and weight!
Other Health lenses and articles favored by Wbisbill
Other Featured Lenses for diabetes
Suggested Books to Help the Diabetic!
Blogs about insulin bulge from Google
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The Pancreas and Insulin Weight Loss

The Pancreas and Insulin Weight Loss

Sugar
When we eat our bodies break food down into materials that our bodies need to function. One of those resources is sugar in a form called glucose. Our cells use glucose for energy and our brains especially jog on glucose. To get the glucose into the cells, it travels into the bloodstream and triggers the pancreas to turn out insulin. Insulin lets the sugar go beyond the blood into the cells. When sugar is changed to energy, it's either used or stored until we need it.

Blood sugar level
Blood sugar levels rise once we have eaten. In most cases it takes about two hours for it to return to normal. Blood sugar levels are measured in milliliters per deciliter of blood. So the normal range for blood sugar in the person without diabetes usually falls between approximately 70 and 110 milliliters per deciliter or ml/dl.

Diabetes
A person is diagnosed with diabetes when their pancreas either doesn't produce any insulin at all or the insulin they do produce is ineffective.
Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is attacked by the immune system. The insulin producing cells, also known as beta cells, are permanently destroyed. The pancreas no longer produces insulin.
Type 2 diabetes is different than Type 1. The pancreas still makes insulin, but the body develops resistance to insulin, so the cells don't respond to it, and they are unable to take up the sugar that is in the blood.
(See article: Type 1 Diabetes Causes - Myths and Facts By Dr John Anne)

Obesity
Obesity is the number one risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes because fat cells do not absorb insulin as well as muscle cells do. Some scientists feel that because the pancreas has to work harder to pump increased levels of insulin into the blood to compensate for resistance, that the pancreas eventually wears itself out and can no longer keep up with the demand.
(See article Warning signs Diabetes)

Insulin Weight Loss & Insulin Weight Gain

diabetes symptoms

Insulin and Weight Insulin
Insulin has two critical roles in the body that we cannot live without, yet it can be the root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and the repair of your cells. When you eat, a certain amount of the food will be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream. As the sugar levels rise, the body senses it and the pancreas secretes insulin to lower the sugar.

If you eat too much of any food, especially carbohydrates (starch and sugar) the levels of glucose in the blood rise to very high levels. In turn this triggers a large release of insulin from the pancreas. Your cells will take what they need and then insulin will begin the process of converting the excess glucose, fat and protein into fat and then put it all away in your fat cells. By combining foods the right way for your body, you will maintain optimum levels of insulin throughout the day. The best way to control insulin and fight sugar cravings is to eat protein snacks when you are hungry or when you have severe "sweet" cravings. Also, try to limit yourself to three carbohydrate-containing meals per day and try to eat vegetables with most meals and snacks.

Other Suggested Readings On Insulin:

Side Effects of Insulin: Allergic reaction. It can be moderate or even severe. Moderate symptoms include swelling, itchy or squeezing at injection place. Severe symptoms among other are: pulse become quickly, blood pressure descends, squeezing all over the body, breath become difficult. If a patient experiences the severe symptoms, he/she should immediately contact his/her doctor.
Insulin
Humulin or Lantus, Which Insulin For Your Child?
Low-Carb: The Role of Insulin
Preparing Your Child and Family for Life With Diabetes
Medical Supply Cases for Insulin and Diabetics
Insulin Resistance And Complex Carbohydrates

Insulin Weight Gain

There are three basic units the body uses for energy:

1. Fats
2. Proteins
3. Carbohydrates

All three are transformed to blood glucose. However, while fats and proteins are converted slowly, carbohydrates are converted swiftly causing speedy spikes in the body's blood sugar levels. These spikes in blood sugar levels cause the pancreas in healthy individuals to create and release insulin until blood sugar level returns to normal.

Meanwhile, insulin lowers our blood's glucose levels as it is released into the blood. It is a very efficient hormone running the body's fuel storage systems. If there is excess sugar or fat in the blood, insulin will signal the body to store it in the body's fat cells. Insulin also tells these cells not to release their stored fat, making that fat unavailable for use by the body as energy. Since this stored fat cannot be released for use as energy, insulin very successfully prevents weight loss. The higher the body's insulin levels, the more effectively it prevents fat cells from releasing their stores, and the harder it becomes to lose weight.

Insulin Weight Loss

Insulin Deficiency
Now, consider a diabetic with a pancreas that does not or cannot keep up with the need for insulin. The lack of insulin allows the fat cells to release their energy and the sugars have no counterbalance and thus build up in the blood, which causes a multitude of possible long term endocrine problems. When the sugar levels are more than the body can use they spill over through the kidneys and out the urine. The body still feels hungry but is not getting the energy from the food.

Therefore, many diabetics are obese but as sugar levels rise and stay, they may actually experience weight loss and cannot get enough to eat. Then, through therapy, they start getting their sugar levels back under control and may have trouble losing weight (especially if they are on insulin therapy for their disease).

Insulin levels that are too high or too low can cause weight gains and/or losses and can cause serious health problems like the ones listed above:

Information, Help, and Resources For Weight Loss

Lose Weight

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Video Help to Lose Weight

This is a pretty "heavy" subject. So, I thought you might need a "lighter" moment!

Shakeology Revealed! Fight Diabetes, Lower Cholesterol, Lose Weight: by gomclean | video info

3 ratings | 1,333 views

automatically generated by YouTube

User Links on Insulin Weight Loss and Diabetes

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Two great books to help define the relation between insulin and weight!

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The First Year: Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed (First Year, The) by Gretchen Becker

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Blogs about insulin bulge from Google

Insulin and weight

CHMP Recommends Approval of BYETTA® for Use With Basal Insulin
Nutrition and type 2 diabetes prevention
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BRITAIN'S BIGGEST INSULIN USER TO DESCRIBE AT CHARITY STUDY DAY IN LIVERPOOL ...

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njmanura Jul 5, 2011 @ 5:29 am | delete

nice lens on insulin and weight changes

Reply

mandalahi1010 Jun 14, 2011 @ 7:13 am | delete

How quick way to diet ..?
I've tried several times but always failed ..
I hope you will help me to overcome my weight ..
Thank You ..
I love your Article ...

Reply

hysongdesigns Jun 6, 2011 @ 9:40 am | delete

very interesting information, thanks!

Reply

trainer-mike May 8, 2011 @ 3:31 pm | delete

When it comes to weight loss many people just don't realize the effects insulin has. Nice lens and very useful information.
Exercise and Nutrition Tips

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curtis62 Mar 9, 2011 @ 4:11 pm | delete

I enjoyed the information in this lens good job.

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schumacher65 Jan 23, 2011 @ 11:06 pm | delete

It's probably true that most of us don't ask how our pancreas is doing on a daily basis. We probably don't think about it at all most of the time. However, it is something we think about when we feel pain or notice something wrong with our bodies. I just think that is interesting.
P90x Fitness Plan

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happynutritionist Jan 15, 2011 @ 9:12 pm | delete

Interesting lens...caught my eye as my husband is a diabetic and enjoyed some of the facts you share as well as the links. Blessed by and Angel and will be added to http://squidoo.com/nutrition-angel

Reply

mandalahi1010 Jun 14, 2011 @ 7:14 am | delete

How quick way to diet ..?
I've tried several times but always failed ..
I hope you will help me to overcome my weight ..
Thank You ..
I love you ...

Reply

fadibody Jan 5, 2011 @ 12:19 am | delete

You shared a very valuable information. Thank you! Nice lens!

Reply

SofiaMann Jan 2, 2011 @ 9:46 am | delete

This information is important because it helps prevent problems and maintenance in a better quality of life.
Thanks.
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