Wheat, Insulin Resistance and GMO’s: What’s the Connection?

My recent trip to Europe for a diabetes conference made me once again think about the issue of wheat.

The fat-free era encouraged lots of grains, which was further promoted by the now obsolete Food Guide Pyramid, which recommended 6-10 servings of grains.

It seems like we are now in an era of each person trying to find out what they are supposed to do for their individual bodies.  With so many ideas floating around from the Paleo, vegan, DASH diets, what’s the answer?

Let’s start with how our body processes food.  Remember some of us are insulin sensitive and some are resistant.

The most glaring take a way from my conference was that those with insulin resistance have a carbohydrate sensitivity secondary to what is known as hyperinsulinemia. 

And what is hyperinsulinemia?  It is when your pancreas secretes an abnormally high amount of insulin in response to a meal, particularly one high in carbohydrates.

One researcher stated his studies indicate that those with type 2 diabetes have 9x the level of hyperinsulinemia in response to carbohydrates than those without diabetes.

Translation:  for those with diabetes (and/or insulin resistance) when you eat a slice of bread, your body responds like you had 9 slices of bread.

I have to wonder whether this high response is due to GMO wheat in America or worldwide but let’s get back to that.

One thing I hear on a daily basis from those who are insulin resistant is:  “I don’t eat any more than any one else.  So why can’t I lose weight?”

Here’s the answer:  you don’t need to be eating any more, and can in fact be eating less.  If you have even 4-5 times the response of insulin to those who are insulin sensitive, your body stores fat easily.

Now back to the issue of wheat.  With the recent publication of the book Wheat Belly, I am asked “what about this concept of not eating wheat?”  The author William Davis, MD, states that the genetic modification of wheat in America has made much of our population sensitive to not only gluten, but also the protein gliadin in wheat.

While I am not an expert in GMO’s, here’s one thing I know from my own experience and those of my patients.  When I go to Europe I can eat bread and have no issues – no bloating, weight gain or increased hunger.  When I eat bread here I have those issues.  Is it due to my insulin resistance or due to the GMO wheat?

It is probably a bit of both but I have to wonder if my underlying genetic insulin resistance is triggered and/or exacerbated by GMO wheat, which does not get thrown off when I consume bread products in Europe.

The take home message:  more will be revealed. 

I think in the next 5 years we will have more answers.  For now, I avoid wheat in America as much as I can, and happily eat a slice or so of baguette in France.

If you have insulin resistance, consider what your body’s response is to wheat-based carbohydrates, and grains:  if you are in the most insulin resistant group you could have the 9x response which can explain why you have trouble losing weight.

It might be worth a 6-week experiment to see if you feel differently, and/or have fewer issues with your weight, and/or less hunger. 

We may not have the exact answer for years, but the solution lies in what response your body has to wheat and figuring out what works for your health and happiness!

Whole Grain Reality

Every day someone walks into my office touting a statement by a health-care professional or newspaper on the importance of whole grains.

Thank goodness the Food Guide Pyramid is dead, which promoted large amounts of carbohydrates and “whole grains.”

Since I see the everyday effects of whole grains on weight, insulin resistance and disease I have a different perspective.

Let’s start with the difference between insulin sensitive and insulin resistance.

Insulin Sensitive – those whose metabolisms work like a charm and can eat most anything they want – when eating several slices of bread or a bowl of pasta their body secretes insulin which happily metabolizes the carbohydrates quickly without much effect in the body.

Those who are insulin sensitive are normally quite thin with little or no weight issues.

Insulin Resistance – those whose metabolisms are sleepy, sluggish or just plain stubborn.  Upon eating a slice or two of bread their insulin laughs, with the sugar sitting outside the body’s cells waiting to get in like a child not allowed into the playroom.  The longer it sits there the carbohydrate cravings escalate and the fatigue sets in.

Those with insulin resistance carry their weight in the middle, although they can carry weight proportionately in the body.  Those with severe insulin resistance normally carry all their weight in the middle, with thin arms and legs.

Insulin resistance can be present at birth or can show up at different times in life:  childhood, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and ages over 50 since there are levels of insulin resistance.  One can have slight insulin resistance or severe which manifests as type 2 diabetes.

If you are insulin sensitive healthy whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, barley, bulgur, and whole wheat bread are appropriate and healthy for your body.

If you are insulin resistant eating whole grains can increase insulin levels leading to weight gain, increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, etc.

Take home message:  If you are insulin resistant it is advantageous to eat your carbohydrates in these forms:  fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, squash and small amounts of root vegetables.  Focus on protein at each meal and healthy fats to balance.  Your reality requires keeping whole grains to a minimum if you want to control your weight and health.  Try my Apple Blueberry Compote as pictured - healthy, sweet and contains no whole grains!

Emotional Satisfaction or Physical Depletion?

Which one is more powerful?  This is a frequent topic of discussion with my clients who are insulin resistant.  Do they go ahead and eat the bread, pasta, or dessert and feel emotionally satisfied or gamble the punishment of feeling tired and bloated with increased carb cravings?

Sometimes it’s worth it and sometimes it’s not.   If you have carbohydrate sensitivity your body will give you signs, sometimes screams when going to the dark side of eating.  It’s up to you to decide if you want to pay attention to your physiology or risk gambling.

What happens if you ignore the signs?  Besides feeling bloated, tired and uncomfortable you could be creating low-grade inflammation in the body.  Is this bad?  If this situation is rare the body will recover.

However, if this occurs regularly two things happen:

1. Your body will stop giving you signals and go into numb mode for protection meaning you will get used to feeling bloated and having low energy
2. Your organs - particularly your pancreas, liver, and intestines - will have to work harder which could lead to diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

If you are reading this blog it means you are concerned about your health and well-being.  Being proactive means paying attention to the signs before it’s too late and the process of inflammation wins.  Taking charge means making every bite count towards healthy living.

Don’t be afraid of the Vampire: Breaking Down your Blood Values

With Halloween around the corner, you've probably heard about the rage of vampires and The Twilight Saga:  Breaking Dawn coming out in November.

Let's take a break from the candy this Halloween and understand what this vampire elixir is all about for your health.

You may go to the doctor each year to get your blood work done since you care about your health.  However, do you really understand the results once they come back? 

Some physicians are great at explaining each value and some just say, “your numbers are good.” 

Taking control of your health means understanding the values, if they’ve changed and what they represent.

For example let’s say your normal levels for a certain blood value like your thyroid hormones are at the top of the range and now they are at the bottom, which is not normal for your body.  Unless you keep abreast of this your health could be deteriorating without your knowledge.

Let’s start with a common labatoary value called your blood glucose. 

Blood glucose is related to how well your body is metabolizing food, specifically carbohydrates.  Since our diets are rather high in processed, starchy foods this is one I pay close attention to.

“Normal” values are between 70-110 depending on the lab.  However, having a fasting (without food) glucose value of 110 is not normal. 

Healthy fasting glucose values are considered below 90. 

I’ve had many a client come in with several years of blood work only to see their blood glucose values gradually rising over those years without their knowledge, since they were in “normal” range.

If your glucose levels are above 95 consider checking a value called your glycosylated hemoglobin A1C which measures what your blood glucose has been averaging over the previous 3 months.  The normal value is 4-6.  If your level is over 6 you are at a risk for impending diabetes and if it is over 6.4 you are considered diabetic.

Another important value now is Vitamin D. 

“Normal” values are between 30-100 but health experts consider optimal values above 50 since Vitamin d functions as a hormone and affects hundreds of metabolic pathways in the body.

Since it is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D in our food and most of us avoid the sun, this important nutrient is low in much of our population and needs to be supplemented.  If your values are 30-35 it is in “normal” range but having a higher value could help significantly help with your immune system, metabolizing fat due to lowering of insulin resistance, lowering cancer risk and optimal bone health.

Take home message?

1. Get a copy of your yearly blood work and have your doctor go over each value with you and compare to previous years 

1. If your physician is not available to go over the values with you, consider switching to someone who can or have an appointment with an RD or other trained health-care professional who understands these values and can help you make appropriate lifestyle changes

This Halloween get your numbers checked and be informed about their values.

Don’t be afraid to face the vampire at your doctor’s office - it could be good health for you and your blood.

Coffee, Insulin Resistance and Hypoglycemia

So here I am at the lovely Farmhouse in Burgandy, France (blog to follow about it) and eating a little French breakfast of fruit, cheese, and a very small slice of French baguette since that is all there was available.  I usually drink green tea but decided to be truly “French” and have a café.

My breakfast is usually quite a bit bigger with an increased amount of protein but that was all there was so I decided to go with it.  Little did I know what danger awaited me just 2 hours later.

We left to go exploring for the day and as we arrived in a little town near by and all of a sudden IT hit:  hypoglycemia.  Low blood sugar not so bad that I wanted to pass out but definitely a “danger Will Robinson” do something right now type of moment. We had to immediately go and get some protein so I could function.

I think my last episode was about 15 years ago.  Since I eat so clean and have so much protein it has not been problematic since then. I was agitated since I thought I was beyond that but given my insulin resistant/diabetic genes you think I would have known better. 

Then a few hours later when I was thinking more clearly it hit me – it was the coffee.

I stopped drinking coffee at least 10 years ago since it increases insulin resistance and hypoglycemia but really wanted to drink a good cup in France.  Coffee can be okay for those with hypoglycemia later in the day but sometimes truly a toxic thing in the am…especially with inadequate amount of protein.

I learned my lesson once again – and hopefully there will not be another anniversary in another 15 years.  Protein is essential to those with insulin resistance and prevention of low blood sugars. 

And the take home message – I’ll be drinking my tea tomorrow and hopefully enjoying the rest of my vacation without having to deal with an immediate situation…which can just be a bummer of a set back on such a beautiful vacation.