Humans are incredible beings. Originally made in God’s image, we are intricately and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13-16). If we are exposed to a stimulus over and over, we have an amazing ability to adjust and adapt. This can be good. I often have ringing in my left ear. The good news for me is that I usually don’t notice it – my brain accommodates to the ringing so that I don’t go bonkers. The nose also has uncanny abilities to adjust to undesirable odors over time. Eyes can acclimate to bright light. Adaptation can be beneficial and help us to be productive and not get distracted.
However, adaptation can also lead to undesirable consequences. By adjusting, we can become numb and insensitive, fat and unaware, dulled and lulled. An excess of good things can lead to adjustment numbness. We can become dulled to life.
In health, nowhere is this more evident and prevalent than in the condition called insulin resistance. It is now becoming widely agreed upon that an excess of insulin is a leading cause of weight gain. Classic Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a condition resulting from our bodies becoming resistant to our own insulin. In T2D, our bodies produce an excess of insulin to try to lower blood sugar to normal levels. High insulin levels promote weight gain. Weight gain promotes insulin resistance. Insulin resistance promotes high insulin levels…a vicious cycle. Many have insulin resistance but have not yet developed diabetes with high blood sugar.
Insulin resistance with accompanying weight gain has only one good solution – do whatever it takes to become re-sensitized to our bodies own insulin. This will lower insulin levels and lower blood sugar and help promote weight loss. Known insulin sensitizers are exercise, weight loss, and a few medications. New promising research is indicating that regular periods of intermittent fasting may also be a powerful insulin re-sensitizer. I addressed this partially in a previous blog entitled “Waiting Longer for Breakfast.” More to come in future blog posts!
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