Elevated Blood Glucose, Elevated Fasting Insulin, or Both

Elevated Blood Glucose, Elevated Fasting Insulin, or Both

The amount of sugar and simple carbs you ingest will be fairly obvious to you
in light of the food choices you make. The level of sugar that circulates in your
bloodstream, however, is not nearly as transparent. That’s what makes the cycle
insidious. Eating sugar causes blood sugar to surge and, subsequently, the hormone
insulin to spike. Leaner bodies are better able to move this excess insulin into the
cells, where it’s intended to be received. In overweight bodies, the tendency is for
the excess glucose and insulin to hang around in the bloodstream, causing problems
as the cells become increasingly resistant to the action of insulin.

Like gasoline, sugar is highly combustible, which is why it generates intense but
short-lived energy. Over time, however, the body’s ability to deal with excess sugar
diminishes. Eventually this cycle leads to dysglycemia, or an imbalance of blood
sugar levels and insulin in the body. With dysglycemia, high glucose in the blood
leads to high insulin production, which, in turn, can lead to insulin resistance. This
is most significant for our purposes because recent data suggest that
“hyperinsulinemia [excess insulin] is an independent risk factor for breast cancer
and may have a substantial role in explaining the obesity–breast cancer relationship”
(Gunter et al. 2009). The literature on this topic clearly serves as a wake-up call to
be mindful of blood glucose and insulin control. Fortunately, you have the power to
affect these factors because they are exceedingly responsive to dietary changes.