Dr. Thaxton's Insulin Lowering Medical Diet
Insulin resistance is a complex condition whereby cells in the muscles, fat, and liver fail to respond appropriately to insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that is essential for regulating blood sugar levels. As a result, our pancreas must make more insulin to help force glucose into the cells. Genetic and lifestyle factors can contribute to insulin resistance.
If the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome the resistance by the cells, blood sugar levels will stay in a normal range. However, if insulin resistance persists, it may eventually lead to elevated blood sugar along with pancreatic exhaustion and over time, prediabetes and Type II diabetes.
Approximately 96 million American adults - more than 1 in 3 - have prediabetes. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes -- 1 in 10, and approximately 90 to 95% have Type II diabetes.
Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen contributes to the development of insulin resistance which results in increased levels of insulin being produced which in turn creates the vicious cycle of increasing weight gain and more insulin resistance. Other factors including physical inactivity, sugar, and highly processed foods can also contribute to the development of type II diabetes.
Since insulin resistance has no symptoms until it turns into prediabetes or type II diabetes, the best treatment is prevention and early detection to reverse insulin resistance.
Our philosophy is that prevention of disease is better than intervention of disease. Insulin resistance can lead to metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type II diabetes. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has three or more of the following risk factors:
- Elevated fasting blood sugar
- Elevated serum triglycerides
- Abdominal obesity
- Elevated blood pressure
- Low HDL
Our Insulin Lowering Medical Diet provides a roadmap to lower your insulin levels and help you reach your goal. During the initial office assessment, a body composition analysis provides crucial information about each patient’s metabolism and resting metabolic rate to help us personalize the best dietary choices to prevent or reverse insulin resistance. Our safe and effective nonsurgical medical weight loss options create fast and effective weight loss with the ultimate goal of disease prevention.