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Too Much Insulin Shortens Your Life
Eating lots of bakery products, pasta, and added sugars can shorten your life and cause diabetes.
When you eat, your blood sugar rises, causing your pancreas to release insulin into your bloodstream. The foods that cause your blood sugar to rise the most are called "high glycemic index foods." The foods that cause the highest rise are those made with flour, milled corn, white rice or other refined grains, and added sugars.
You need insulin to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high, but having too much insulin can kill you. Excess insulin makes you fat by causing fat to enter fat cells, your brain to tell you that you are hungry, and your liver to make fat from extra calories. It causes strokes and heart attacks by causing clots, raising triglycerides and lowering the good HDL cholesterol. Insulin promotes oxidation that converts the bad LDL cholesterol to oxidized LDL that forms plaques in arteries. High levels of insulin cause your kidneys to retain salt and raise blood pressure. The best ways to lower insulin are to avoid being overweight, restrict foods made with flour or added sugars, and eat fruits and root vegetables with meals to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high. See my report on insulin resistance.
Checked 11/9/06