Insulin Resistance Syndrome
For many years now the pharmaceutical industry has been reaping the rewards of its heavy media budget, and its undue influence over the medical profession. As a result everyone “knows” that cholesterol is the most important risk factor for coronary disease, and prescriptions for anti-cholesterol drugs are skyrocketing. It is not unusual for me to see patients on these drugs whose cholesterol readings are unhealthily low, as in the 125 range! The only problem is that what everyone " knows " is not true in this case. 

There are multiple risk factors for coronary disease, but most important is one that many of you have never even heard of. It is known by several names, the most common of which are Syndrome X, Metabolic Syndrome, or Insulin Resistance Syndrome. 

The American Heart Association has recently stated that this condition of poor cellular response to insulin “constitutes the most statistically significant predictor of heart attack risk”. I’m sure you know what your cholesterol level is, but do you know if you are insulin resistant or not? It is estimated that about half of the U.S. population suffers from this condition. 

Essentially, this syndrome occurs as a result of genetic, environmental, and especially dietary factors (too much sugar and carbohydrates) which result in body cells responding sluggishly to the hormone insulin. Insulin’s hormonal message to the cells is to open up and allow glucose (sugar) into the cells from the blood serum. When there have been high sugar levels over many years in a person’s blood, insulin levels have been correspondingly high. The average intake of refined sugar by Americans is now up to 150 pounds per year. Having so much insulin around all the time to deal with this load of carbohydrates causes the cells to become sluggish or resistant in their response to insulin. This sets up a vicious circle of higher insulin levels, and more insulin resistance. If dietary carbohydrate levels also remain high, then the stage is set for real trouble. 

The insulin resistance syndrome is a precursor to a variety of significant health problems. It is a harbinger of adult onset (or Type II) diabetes. High insulin levels also promote increasing adiposity (accumulation of body fat), excess weight, elevated blood fats, and hypertension. These conditions have a whole subset of associated complications (like stroke and cancer) Furthermore it has been found that elevated insulin levels are the cause behind the large list of secondary complications associated with diabetes. That list includes rapidly progressing arteriosclerosis, rapid aging, eye and circulation problems, and kidney and nerve problems. The most obvious and easily correctable cause of this whole horrendous chain of events is the over-consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugar.