Dr. Melodie Billiot

Atherosclerosis– Is Your LDL Sticky?

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

Atherosclerosis is the thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery.

For as long as I remember, most people, including myself, have been told that LDL cholesterol is the bad villain of plaque build-up and HDL cholesterol is the good guy.

Of course, with this hypothesis, it would make perfect sense that the higher your LDL cholesterol, the greater the chance of getting atherosclerosis.

However, there is much more to the story and my hope today is to share a different angle that will shed some light on the real issues with LDL cholesterol and its nemesis called atherosclerosis.

The Significant Role of LDL in Our Bodies

Cholesterol isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it’s the building block for creating healthy cells. It also helps your body make testosterone and estrogen. Without LDL, these and many other steroid hormones wouldn’t be made effectively

Contrary to what we have been told, LDL cholesterol also has another good side: its ability to fight infections.

LDL plays a valuable and important role in the body’s response to an assault by infectious invaders. When bacteria invade our body, they release a cell wall component known as endotoxin. What is critically important and something we will dig in deeper in this article is that endotoxins are super inflammatory and can strongly trigger the immune system.

But research has shown that your friend LDL cholesterol is around to bind up this toxin preventing things from getting out of hand.

In a study using mice it was discovered that increased levels of LDL cholesterol were eight times more resistant to endotoxins. This showed a significant decrease in overall mortality when injected with gram-negative bacteria. On the other hand, rats with the lowest LDL cholesterol had an increased rate of mortality and levels of inflammation when injected with endotoxin.

Now, if you are like me, I would be asking, what about humans?

Is there evidence that higher levels of LDL cholesterol are protective against infections in humans? In fact, many studies are proving that higher levels of LDL cholesterol are protective as we age. This is more likely due to the positive impact on the immune system.

The answer is that LDL itself is not harmful, but in certain situations, it can be involved in responding to injury and inflammation. This, of course, makes LDL look like more of a firefighter than simply a criminal causing atherosclerosis.

So the question that we must ask ourselves is: Is there something more sinister behind the scenes that are actually driving heart disease (atherosclerosis)?

As I have discussed in a prior article, the real issue is insulin sensitivity and the stickiness factor.

In people who are insulin sensitive, rising LDL levels do not correlate with increased rates of heart disease. On the other hand, the higher the LDL, the greater opportunity for plaque formation in those who are insulin resistant. Remember it is not all about elevated levels of LDL but the more important villain of insulin resistance.

What will make our head spin is the fact that higher levels of LDL in the blood do not consistently correlate with the progression of atherosclerosis in the absence of insulin resistance.

LDL Stickiness is the Real Issue

Here is the important takeaway from this important article. LDL under certain circumstances (which I will mention in a minute) can get stuck within the arterial wall. So it is not the size or amount of LDL particles moving into the arteries that is important but rather if it sticks to the wall of the artery that determines whether or not it contributes to atherosclerosis.

Here is a good analogy:

If you were to throw a tennis ball at a wall unless the tennis ball and the wall were coated in velcro, the tennis ball would not stick. So to bring it back to reality, unless the LDL particle and arterial wall (the intimal space) were sticky, it does not matter how many LDL particles we have floating around in our arteries. The LDL “balls” only get stuck to the arterial wall when they are coated in what we will call “molecular velcro.” LDL is simply not enough of a problem alone to initiate plaque build-up. The takeaway is: it has to get stuck in the arterial wall to initiate the process of atherosclerosis.

Now the magic question

What in the world determines how sticky the LDL particle and the intimal space are?

There is now growing evidence during states of insulin resistance and inflammation that both the LDL particle and the arterial wall get coated in “molecular velcro” making everything more sticky, increasing atherosclerosis progression.

You may now be asking: really, how common is insulin resistance?

Would you believe that a massive 88 percent of the American population has some degree of metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance)?

So to conclude: 

In the absence of insulin resistance and inflammation, higher levels of LDL cholesterol are probably protective because of their roles in the immune response.

Do you have severe, long-term, or frustrating health problems?

• Are you exhausted, depressed, anxious, or unable to sleep?
• Do you feel anxious, depressed or overwhelmed?
• Do you have digestive disturbances, joint pain, headaches, hair loss and weight gain?

Do you wonder how you got here? One day you woke up in a complete mess, but can’t for the life of you figure out how it happened?

It’s not your fault, but you CAN fix it.

Here is a way you can start to get your life back—with energy and vitality no matter the stage of your life.

Dr. Melodie Billiot is a doctor who has lived through her own exhaustion and illness, and discovered the answers to her own health.

As a result, she has helped thousands of people just like you to regain their health.

Get Started: Do a complimentary Health Analysis and Consultation

Dr. Melodie Billiot

My diet typically consisted of drinking a morning smoothie with every type of plant food (spinach, beets, almonds, chard, seeds, etc.) with plant-based protein powder. My lunch was a big salad with more spinach, assorted greens, nuts, and some protein. Dinner was a plate rich in plant foods and some protein. I commonly would eat broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beets, etc.

My long-standing question was why in the world was I feeling so bad? Irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, diarrhea, brain fog, anxiety, difficulty losing weight (fat).

Of course, this does not fit what we have been informed about this way of eating for most people. Of course it was healthy!

So I just pushed forward and continued to eat this way, believing that it was the price I had to pay to be healthy.

But I wasn’t!

My dear wife, Debbie, frequently went to bed with an ice pack on her right hip and right knee. Chronic constipation was the norm. Stuck at an unacceptable weight level was frustrating.

Again we faithfully continued to eat this way, accepting and “preaching” the ultimate benefits of eating an abundance of plant-based foods.

I really never challenged my “strong” belief in eating mainly plants and some protein. One look at my extended library of books would convince anyone that I was on board with plant-based diets, hook, line, and sinker!

By pure coincidence, I came across a book on some of the downsides to eating a heavily plant-based diet.

At first, I was appalled at the thought that plant-based foods may not be the best for “ULTIMATE” health and well-being.

Like I love to do, I dug into the literature and read everything I could on some of the negative effects of eating many plant-based foods.

Wow, what I learned was an eye-opener!

Since tweaking my diet and reducing some of the more toxic plant foods (will discuss shortly), all of the above symptoms vanished. I effortlessly lost weight. My wife, Debbie, was totally free of right hip and knee pain. No more ice bags! And to top it off, she hit a goal weight she tried to accomplish for at least five years!

My thinking and beliefs in a heavily plant-based diet changed.

Today, my goal is to share what I learned, and I hope you give me the time of day to at least listen with an open mind to what I am about to share with you. It could be the tipping point to reversing many chronic, long-standing health issues for many of you reading my article.

Ready?

Plants have something called ANTI-NUTRIENTS.

Anti-nutrients are natural compounds found in plants. Anti-nutrients protect plants from bacterial infections and protect plants from being eaten by predators. Since plants, unlike animals, can’t fight off predators, anti-nutrients are a plant’s self-defense mechanism.

Anti-nutrients are found in all parts of plant-based foods, including vegetables, seeds, and fruits.

Too many anti-nutrients have been found through my research to cause inflammation, gut dysbiosis, arthritis, joint pain, skin issues, and brain fog, to name a few ailments.

A big concern of anti-nutrients is how they interfere with nutrient and mineral absorption.

Here are the top 10 anti-nutrients:

1: Oxalates– Oxalates are found in green leafy vegetables (spinach), sesame seeds, teas, and soybeans. Oxalates can bind to calcium and iron and prevent them from being absorbed. Oxalates are enzyme inhibitors that can prevent proper digestion, cause gut problems and protein deficiencies. Enzymes create chemical reactions in the body that help support our bodies to function properly. Enzymes are especially important in the digestive process. Without the enzymes to properly metabolize food, GI issues can occur, such as bloating and constipation.

2: Polyphenols –Polyphenols known as phytochemicals are anti-nutrients that are touted for their health benefits. Dark chocolate, flaxseed meal, cocoa powder, and many fruits and vegetables contain polyphenol compounds. Polyphenols may have some health benefits, such as possible body weight regulation and decreasing blood pressure, but there are studies on high doses of polyphenols causing kidney damage, tumor development, and altered thyroid hormone production.

3: Gluten– Gluten is a protein that is almost impossible for stomach acid to break down and digest. Dr. Fasano of Harvard, a leading expert on gluten, says that eating gluten can do small amounts of damage to the intestinal lining, creating leaky gut and inflammation in the most susceptible people.

4: Phytic Acid (Phytate)–Phytic acid is primarily found in whole grains, legumes, seeds and some nuts. Phytic acid can decrease the absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, phosphorous, and calcium. Studies show that phytates can block 80% of zinc-rich foods (cashews, chickpeas), 80% of phosphorous-rich foods (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) and 40% of magnesium-rich foods (spinach, almonds, avocado).

5: Lectins–Lectins are found in legumes (beans, peanuts, soybeans) and whole grains (wheat). They can interfere with nutrient digestion and absorption of calcium, iron, phosphorous, and zinc. Lectins are notorious for surviving GI tract digestion. They can then penetrate the cell lining in the digestive tract and cause damage to gut epithelial cells and membrane lining, change bacterial flora, and trigger autoimmune reactions.

6: Tannins–Tannins are similar to oxalates as they are also enzyme inhibitors. Tannins are found in teas, coffees, wines, and legumes. They can interfere with iron absorption. Tannins have also been shown to impede the digestion of nutrients.

7: Glucosinolates–Glucosinolates are found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts) and can interfere with the absorption of iodine, which can then interfere with thyroid function. Another study of over 100,000 participants found that those who ate the most glucosinolates had a 19 percent greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

8: Saponins–Saponins are found in legumes (green lentils) and whole grains. They can interfere with normal nutrient absorption (iron, zinc) and, similar to lectins, can affect the GI lining, causing leaky gut and autoimmune responses.

9: Solanines–Solanine is found in nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers). For some, these can cause inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune conditions. Others may feel a slight feeling of poisoning. (nausea, throat burning, headaches, etc.)

10: Salicylates–Salicylates are compounds found in foods, medications and other products that can cause adverse reactions in those who are intolerant. There is much (renewed) interest in the effects of salicylates on food intolerance, attention-deficit disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

The following is a good chart to reference with foods associated with specific anti-nutrients.

Chart Obtained from page 127 of Carnivore Cure–Judy Cho

My conclusions and my continued journey:

Although I have taken a deep dive into some of the pitfalls of eating an abundance of plant-based foods, I sincerely believe there is a middle ground for most people, including myself. I can not deny that many of these plant foods indeed have many health benefits and should not be entirely denied for consumption. On the other hand, I was ignorant of this well-researched downside. 

At this point in my 64 years of living on this earth, I am still researching optimal health through many facets, including science-based nutrition.

Today I have presented another side that should not be ignored but at least considered if you, like myself, have strived to achieve optimal health through a plant-based diet.

Just maybe some of these anti-nutrients may indeed be playing havoc on your ability to be free of chronic disease entities.

As I dug deeper in my literature review, I have discovered the least toxic vegetables and fruits.

Here they are: 

Vegetables: Avocados, Zucchini, Olives, Cucumber, Pumpkin and Squash

Fruits: Apples, Oranges, Berries, Pineapple, Pears, Melons, Bananas, and Mango

As I continue to use myself as a testing platform and work with many patients, I will report back to you on my findings.

So far, I have been impressed with the results!

Do you have severe, long-term, or frustrating health problems?

• Are you exhausted, depressed, anxious, or unable to sleep?
• Do you feel anxious, depressed or overwhelmed?
• Do you have digestive disturbances, joint pain, headaches, hair loss and weight gain?

Do you wonder how you got here? One day you woke up in a complete mess, but can’t for the life of you figure out how it happened?

It’s not your fault, but you CAN fix it.

Here is a way you can start to get your life back—with energy and vitality no matter the stage of your life.

Dr. Melodie Billiot is a doctor who has lived through her own exhaustion and illness, and discovered the answers to her own health.

As a result, she has helped thousands of people just like you to regain their health.

Get Started: Do a complimentary Health Analysis and Consultation

Grounding— A Simple, Pleasurable Way to Reduce Inflammation and Chronic Disease

Dr. Joe Mercola

Story at-a-glance

• Grounding or earthing is defined as placing one’s bare feet on the ground, whether it be dirt, grass, sand or unsealed, unpainted concrete (especially when humid or wet)
• When you ground to the electron-enriched Earth, an improved balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system occurs
• Being grounded cuts inflammation by thinning your blood and infusing your body with negatively charged ions
• To take advantage of grounding indoors, your best bet is to use a grounding pad to sleep, stand barefoot or sit on
• Grounding may be one of the most important overlooked factors in public health. When grounding is restored, many people report significant improvement in a wide range of ailments

Did you know the energy from the Earth can help you live a healthier life? The concept is known as earthing or grounding, which is no more complicated than walking barefoot.

In “Down to Earth”¹ — which received the IndieFEST Award of Excellence for a documentary short in January 2017 — I speak alongside other experts to shed light on this super simple yet commonly overlooked way to protect and improve human health. As cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, author of “Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?” explains in the film:

“[G]rounding is literally putting your bare feet on the ground. When you do that, you’re in contact with the Earth, and mother Earth is endowed with electrons, and these electrons are literally absorbed through your feet. It’s like taking handfuls of antioxidants, but you’re getting it through your feet.”

Your Body Needs Grounding

Research suggests a general lack of grounding, also referred to as “electron deficiency syndrome,” has a lot to do with the rise of modern diseases.

It’s not unusual for Americans to spend entire days without being grounded. But though it has become the norm, it’s completely unnatural and didn’t really become widespread until the advent of shoes with artificial soles that prevent grounding. When you’re grounded, free electrons from the Earth are transferred into your body, and these free electrons are among the most potent antioxidants known to man.

As electrons are negatively charged, and free radicals are positively charged, any free radicals encountered in your tissues are electrically neutralized or canceled out by these free electrons. This is why grounding is so effective against chronic inflammation. Dr. Laura Koniver, who discovered grounding quite by accident after it seemed to soothe her crying infant, says in the film, “Grounding … supports the body as a whole, but it specifically supports organ systems down to the tissues and the cellular function of the entire body.”

Also, while you may not think of your body as a generator of electricity, you are very much an electrical being, and this is in large part why it’s so important to use grounding to harness the electrical charge of the Earth. In the film, Gaetan Chevalier, Ph.D., an engineer/physicist who has studied grounding, explains:

“Unbeknownst to us, we live inside a battery. The surface of the Earth is charged negatively, and the ionosphere, a layer of the atmosphere about 60 miles up, is ionized by the sun. The sun’s rays are so strong that they split the molecules in two, a positive charge and a negative charge.

The negative charges are transferred to the Earth’s surface through lightening mainly, and the positive charges stay 60 miles up. The problem arises when we don’t have a negative charge. We need grounding just as we need air and we need sunshine.”²

Grounding Reduces Electric Field Induction

There’s even evidence that grounding reduces the voltage induced on your body from electricity in your environment — a factor that has become increasingly important in the modern world. As noted in the 2012 review:³

“Applewhite, an electrical engineer and expert in the design of electrostatic discharge systems in the electronic industry, was both subject and author of the study.⁴ Measurements were taken while ungrounded and then grounded using a conductive patch and conductive bed pad … Each method (patch and sheet) immediately reduced the common alternating current (AC) 60 Hz ambient voltage induced on the body by a highly significant factor of about 70 on average.

The study showed that when the body is grounded, its electrical potential becomes equalized with the Earth’s electrical potential. This, in turn, prevents the 60 Hz mode from producing an AC electric potential at the surface of the body and from producing perturbations of the electric charges of the molecules inside the body.

The study confirms the ‘umbrella’ effect of earthing the body explained by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman in his lectures on electromagnetism. Feynman said that when the body potential is the same as the Earth’s electric potential (and thus grounded), it becomes an extension of the Earth’s gigantic electric system. The Earth’s potential thus becomes the ‘working agent that cancels, reduces, or pushes away electric fields from the body.'”

Benefits of Grounding

While it may sound “too easy,” the simple pleasure of walking barefoot can be a powerful health-promoting activity. A scientific review published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health in 2012 found that grounding can help:⁵

• Improve quality of sleep and feelings of restfulness upon waking.
• Reduce muscle stiffness and soreness.⁶
• Reduce chronic pain.
• Normalize secretion of the stress hormone cortisol so that it adheres to a typical cycle of peaking in the morning and dipping lowest at midnight. This in turn helps promote more restful sleep and improve blood sugar regulation and weight control.
• Reduce stress and balance your autonomic nervous system by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (which rules the “rest and digest” functions of the body) and quieting the sympathetic nervous system (which cues the “fight or flight” response).
• Reduce the severity of the inflammatory response after intense workouts.
• Raise your heart rate variability (your heart’s ability to respond to stimuli).
• Speed up wound healing.
• Improve mood. In one study,⁷ grounding for one hour significantly improved mood among adults.
• Reduce inflammation.⁸ In the film, grounding pioneer Clint Ober explains how grounding quenches inflammation: “Inflammation is produced by neutrophils, which are white blood cells. [When] you have an injury … a damaged cell … these white blood cells come over and encapsulate the damaged cell and … release reactive oxygen species, which rip electrons from the damaged cell and that destroys the damaged cell.If there’s not enough free electrons there to reduce the remaining radicals, they’re going to steal an electron from a healthy cell and, in the process, damage it. Then the message goes out to the immune system, and another neutrophil does the same thing and eliminates that cell, and then you have a chain reaction.”
• Thin your blood, making it less viscous, by strengthening the negative electrical surface charge on your red blood cells. This improves their ability to repel each other and allows them to flow more easily through tiny capillaries, and is incredibly valuable as cardiovascular disease is correlated with thicker, slow-moving blood. It can also help protect against blood clots.In fact, this blood-thinning effect is so profound that if you are taking a blood thinner such as Coumadin, you should consult your doctor before you start grounding regularly. You may need to lower your dosage to avoid overdosing on your medication.

  Research⁹ published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine revealed that two hours of grounding increased the surface charge of red blood cells, thereby reducing blood viscosity and clumping. According to the authors, “Grounding appears to be one of the simplest and yet most profound interventions for helping reduce cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events.”

• Increase the structure of the water in your cells. Water is in every cell in your body, and this water is highly ordered (structured) and charged. If you don’t have properly structured water in your cells, it can impact the functioning of the much larger protein molecules (and others) that interface with the cell. The water inside the cell also interfaces with water outside the cell, which has the opposite charge, creating a battery effect.Your body’s ability to generate electricity is actually a key part of your achieving health. Electrical charges delivered from cell to cell allows for nearly instantaneous communication within your body, and the messages conducted via these electrical signals are responsible for controlling the rhythm of your heartbeat, the movement of blood around your body and much more.

  In fact, most of your biological processes are electrical. The water in your cells achieves its ordered structure from energy obtained from the environment, typically in the form of electromagnetic radiation, including sunlight and infrared heat.

  But grounding may also play an important role. Just as water increases in structure when a negative charge is introduced by an electrode, the negatively charged electrons you receive when grounded help increase the structure of the water in your cells. By restructuring the water, you promote more efficient tissue healing. So, when you ground, you are charging every single cell in your body with energy your body can use for self-healing.

How and Where to Ground

While connecting just about any part of your skin to the Earth is beneficial, one area that is particularly potent is the center of the ball of your foot, a point known to acupuncturists as Kidney 1 (K1). It’s a well-known acupuncture point that conductively connects to all of the acupuncture meridians in your body. Exercising barefoot outdoors is a great way to incorporate earthing into your daily life and will also help speed up tissue repair and ease muscle pain associated with strenuous exercise.

The ideal location for walking barefoot is the beach, close to or in the water, as salt water is a great conductor. (Your body is also somewhat conductive because it contains a large number of charged ions, called electrolytes, dissolved in water. Your blood and other body fluids are, therefore, good conductors.)

A close second would be a grassy area, especially if it’s covered with dew and /or bare soil. Ceramic tiles and concrete are good conductors as long as they’ve not been sealed; painted concrete does not allow electrons to pass through very well. Materials like asphalt, wood, and typical insulators like rubber or plastic will not allow electrons to pass through and are not suitable for barefoot grounding.

While any amount of grounding is better than none, research has demonstrated it takes about 80 minutes for the free electrons from the Earth to reach your bloodstream and transform your blood, which is when you reap the greatest benefits. So, ideally, aim for 80 to 120 minutes of grounding each day.

How to Ground Indoors

Just as walking barefoot was once widespread, so too was sleeping on the ground. In the modern world, sleeping indoors serves to further insulate you from the Earth. There’s also the issue of elevation. When you are grounded, your body cannot carry a charge, which is good. The greater the distance between your body and the Earth, the greater charge your body carries. In fact, this has been precisely calculated. For every meter (3.28 feet) you are above the ground, 300 volts of charge will build up in your body.¹⁰

So, if you are in a second-story bedroom, your charge would be 1,000 volts, on average, and this increased charge may increase your risk of health problems. For example, one 2009 study¹¹ found a 40 percent increase in stroke risk among people living in multistory homes. Flying can also make you severely ungrounded. When indoors and/or at elevation, you can ground by:

• Using a grounding pad or grounding sheet to ground your mattress while sleeping.
• Keeping your bare feet on a grounding mat while working. Grounding mats work well provided you have a grounded electrical outlet and can be particularly beneficial if you live in a high-rise. A grounded outlet is generally identifiable by the fact it’s a 3-prong outlet with a ground port (bottom outlet). Most modern homes built after 1970 will have a grounded electrical system. When using an earthing mat, make sure your bare skin is in contact with it. There should not be a layer of clothing between you and the mat.
• Using a grounded yoga mat when exercising indoors. Research¹² has shown doing yoga indoors on a grounded yoga mat helps reduce blood viscosity and exercise-induced inflammation, the same effects you’d expect from walking barefoot outdoors.
• Touching the faucet with one hand while shaving or brushing your teeth with the other.
• Taking off your shoes and placing your feet (bare or with socks) on the steel struts of the chair in front of you when flying in an airplane.

Grounding May Be Essential for Life and Health

It’s important to understand that grounding is not a “treatment” or “cure” for any disease or disorder. Rather, it is one of the key mechanisms by which your body maintains equilibrium and health. The human body evolved in constant contact with the Earth, and your body needs this continuous interchange of energy to function properly.

Free radical stress from exposure to pollution, cigarettes, pesticides, processed foods and electromagnetic radiation, just to name a few, continually depletes your body of electrons. The Earth, however, is always electron-rich and can serve as a powerful and abundant supply of antioxidant free radical-busting electrons, provided you make an effort to stay grounded.

Without a proper supply of antioxidants, the free radicals can overwhelm your system leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and accelerated aging. “We now know that oxidative stress causes disease. It causes inflammation,” Sinatra says. “[But] we have this Earth — Mother Earth — that’s going to give us all these free electrons.”

Again, exercising barefoot outdoors is a wonderful way to incorporate grounding into your daily routine. Alternatively, simply take off your shoes as much as you can when you’re outdoors to take advantage of the Earth’s natural healing potential.

Are you concerned about a specific health problem or problems?

Or, are you generally unhappy with the state of your health?

Insulin Resistance– More Dangerous Than High Cholesterol

Contrary to what most people have been told, elevated cholesterol is not the villain it has been made out to be. 

Unfortunately, many people are chasing the wrong criminal when it comes to improving health outcomes.

The medical literature is exploding with the dangers of insulin resistance in increasing cardiovascular disease and other disease entities.

It is reported that chronic insulin resistance is also associated with various types of cancer such as colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer, and breast cancer.

Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t use glucose from your blood for energy. To make up for it, your pancreas makes more insulin. Over time, your blood sugar levels go up.

Some signs of insulin resistance include:

• A waistline over 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women
• Blood pressure readings of 130/80 or higher
• A fasting glucose level over 100 mg/dL
• A fasting triglyceride level over 150 mg/dL
• Fasting insulin greater than 6
• A HDL cholesterol level under 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women
• Skin tags
• Patches of dark, velvety skin called acanthosis nigricans

Effective Treatment for Insulin Resistance

Carbohydrates such as simple sugars, grains, and starchy vegetables should be avoided as they stimulate insulin secretion. They should be replaced with higher protein-containing foods and non-starchy vegetables.

Adequate vitamin D intake

Aerobic and resistance training–High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been found to be superior to low-intensity cardio. Of course, I suggest that people completely out of shape work their way up to HIIT. Start out slow. Some exercise is better than none.

Get adequate sleep.

Reduce stress– meditation is recommended.

Get adequate magnesium intake.

Take Berberine supplementation.

Conclusion

I recommend one take insulin resistance very seriously. The implications of being associated with increased cardiovascular disease and cancer are overwhelming. The following robust list of peer-reviewed citations should be reviewed. I have provided above a good starting point in reversing insulin resistance.

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

Are you concerned about a specific health problem or problems?

Or, are you generally unhappy with the state of your health?