Insulin Hormone

Today is day six of my 108 days of content creation challenge. 

The topic today is Insulin Hormone.

I will be finding answers for the questions

• What is insulin hormone?
• What are the different types of insulin?
• How is insulin made?
• How does insulin work?
• What is insulin resistance?
• What causes insulin resistance?
• What is insulin resistance treatment?

First, let me post an update on my progress.

Day 6 OMAD challenge

Starting with the summary of day five.

I almost finished my fast today. I did 15:00 hours of fasting.

Today social pressure was the reason for breaking my fast.

I think I should have planned ahead like maybe started the fast earlier.

I think my body and mind is quite comfortable with 16 hours of fast, there are no headache or hunger pangs. 

Even my mind is accepting this new reality. 

So the only thing left is for me to put some effort and stick to these fasts.

Another area of improvement is portion control. 

I tend to overeat after completing the fast.

Again not because I am hungry, more as a reward for completing the fast.

If I fast and then binge on food, it beats the purpose of my fast. 

And I will not lose weight.  

It is important to bring my actions into my attention so that I can make the necessary changes to make this successful.

Insulin Hormone

With cases of diabetes raising around the world, Insulin hormone has become a very important hormone for us to be aware of.

Weight watchers also keep track of this hormone as it has the important function of storing fat for future use.

I will try and find information for some of the most common questions about insulin hormone. 

What is insulin hormone?

Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas, for regulating the amount of glucose in the blood. 

It manages the body’s metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. 

It is also responsible for storing glucose in the liver, fat, and muscles. 

When the insulin hormone is not functioning properly, diabetes sets in.  

The pancreas produces insulin based on the blood glucose levels in the body. 

Insulin decreases the blood sugar levels by moving glucose out of the bloodstream into the cells, where it can be used immediately as fuel or stored as body fat. 

When our blood sugar is high, and the pancreas creates higher levels of insulin to counter that, Insulin also prevents stored fat from being broken down for energy.   

What are the different types of insulin?

When your body is not making insulin or using it correctly, man-made insulin is administered to help control your blood sugar. 

There are different types of man-made insulins for different medical needs of the patients.

They are:

• Rapid-acting insulin: It starts to work within a few minutes of administration and lasts for a couple of hours.
• Short-acting insulin: This type of insulin takes about 30 minutes to work fully and lasts for 3 to 6 hours.
• Intermediate-acting insulin: This one takes around 2 to 4 hours to start working fully. Its effects can last for up to 18 hours.
• Long-acting insulin: This one works for an entire day.

Doctors may prescribe more than one type of insulin, to tackle the individual diabetic needs of the patient. 

How is insulin made?

Initially, the insulins used to treat diabetes came from cattle and pigs. 

But it was not perfect as it caused allergic reactions in many patients.   

The first synthetic human insulin was genetically engineered using E. coli bacteria in 1978.

Now insulin is customized to handle different needs of diabetic patients. 

They come in different variety, like 

• Regular human insulin identical to what our body produces.
• Rapid-acting insulin, which is very fast-acting.
• Long-acting insulin, that works for the entire day.

How does insulin work?

The insulin hormone is released by the pancreas when the glucose level in the bloodstream goes up.  

The basic function of insulin is to tell the cells to allow glucose to come in. 

Once inside the cell, it will either convert the glucose into energy or store it as fat for later use.

Without insulin, our body is not capable of using or storing glucose.

What is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is when the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver stop responding to the insulin.

As a result, the glucose in your bloodstream is not able to get into the cell to be used as energy.

This results in higher blood sugar levels which will in turn trigger the pancreas to produce more insulin hormone.

Insulin resistance tends to happen along with health issues like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.

What causes insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance can be caused by various health and lifestyle conditions like obesity, inactive lifestyle, a diet high in carbohydrates, gestational diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, Smoking, Medications like steroids, antipsychotics, and HIV medications, and sleep problems like sleep apnea.

What is insulin resistance treatment?

Insulin resistance if left untreated can lead to type 2 diabetes.

There are a few lifestyle changes that will help you prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

• Make exercise part of your daily routine. Go for daily 30 minutes of moderate exercise for at least five times a week. 
• Get to your healthy weight. Calculate your BMI. Use diet and exercise to attain a healthy weight.
• Eat real food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, legumes, grass-fed meat, nuts, etc.
• Consult your doctor and take the necessary action.

Conclusion

I am lacking in the grit department.

I give up easily, maybe this goal is not important enough for me. 

I have to reevaluate why I am doing this challenge.

Both content creation and OMAD challenge.

Insulin resistance can be treated by making the necessary lifestyle changes. It should be taken seriously, if left untreated it can lead to type 2 diabetes. 

Again exercise, eating real food and a good night’s sleep can keep you healthy and disease-free even into your old age.