When the beta cells in our body resist insulin from pushing the glucose into the cells is called insulin resistance. There are trillions of beta cells in our body which need glucose as energy for different activities of the body. When we consume food, it gets into our stomach where enzymes and secreted acid break down the food items and push them into the small intestine. In the small intestine it obtains digestive juices of bile from the liver and pancreatic juice from the pancreas and breaks down the food into proteins, carbohydrates and fats required by our body. Bacteria in the small intestine create enzymes required for digesting carbohydrates to convert them into glucose. That is why carbohydrates get digested fast in the stomach. The digestive juices also convert the proteins into amino acids which are required for building muscles and to repair body tissues and fats into fatty acids (triglycerides) as source of energy during the period where there is no food intake viz., fasting or illness.
The glucose generated in the small intestine is then pushed into the blood for carrying it to the various beta cells. The residue of the broken down food is then sent to the large intestine where it produces and absorbs vitamins, absorbs water and forms faeces for elimination through the rectum.
For the blood to carry the glucose it needs the hormone of insulin. Insulin is produced by pancreas. The main function of insulin is it allows the cells in the muscles, fat and liver to absorb glucose from the blood.
It is insulin resistance which is the causative factor for diabetes and not merely sugar. I would say the term to be used should be Blood Glucose Level (BGL) instead of Blood Sugar Level (BSL). Although sugar is the raw form of glucose, our body has the ability to convert whatever food we eat, into glucose, amino acids and fatty acids. (i) Glucose is used for providing energy to the trillions of cells (ii) amino acid is used to build muscles, improves immunity and repair and generating new tissues (iii) fatty acid are energy sources in case of need and membrane constituents.
Where the beta cells are quite sensitive to the movement of glucose through insulin, the cells are called insulin sensitive. If, for any reason, the sensitivity of the cells declines, then it results in insulin resistance. They work inversely viz., where insulin sensitivity is high, insulin resistance will be low and where insulin sensitivity is low, insulin resistance will be high.
Treating insulin resistance should be the primary aim of treating diabetes and not merely through tablets and insulin injections. Studies reveal that except for type 1 diabetes, there is normal insulin generation by the pancreas but this insulin generated is not able to push the glucose into the beta cells for various reasons such as the cells may be damaged, or dead or covered by fat etc. which results in the glucose level in the blood increasing which is commonly known as Type 2 diabetes. By prescribing and consuming tablets it is observed that the glucose level in the blood stream reduces. But the fundamental question is, what happens to that excess glucose which is reduced? Where did it go? Certainly not out of the body either by way of urine or stool or mucus. Then what happened to that glucose? Our body has the mechanism to convert excess glucose into fat and store it in the liver and other body parts.
At this stage, if additional insulin is injected, it results in hyperinsulinemia viz., excessive insulin in the body. Even this excessive insulin is not able to push the glucose in the blood to the beta cells for obvious reasons. Then the auto mechanism of the body to convert excess glucose in the blood into fat comes into play. It is not throwing out the excess glucose from the body but converts it into fat. It is generally found that injecting insulin results in the person gaining more body fat and weight and this in turn results in other co-morbidities like liver problems, kidney problems, heart problems, brain issues, eye sight issues, less or no sensation in the feet etc.
Is there any other way insulin resistance can be treated? For treating insulin resistance, the beta cells have to be improved. Studies also reveal that the beta cells of the body repair and change every three months to the extent possible. This is a challenge particularly to those persons who have been diabetic for more than 10 years and have been on medication and insulin injections. In such persons, the damage internally would be gradual and substantial depending upon the length of the period for which they have been diabetic.
From 2013 doctors like Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni and Dr.Pramod Tripathi in Pune got into treating such patients and in reversing their diabetes status. They follow the ayurvedic system of first detoxing the body of all the toxins, then changing the dietary pattern to reduce carbohydrates, restrict fats and to increase proteins, to tone up the body post detox and dietary change to carry out body exercises and most important of all to relieve stress which has also been diagnosed as one of the prominent driver of blood glucose. It is because the hormone cortisol gets higher which in turn puts pressure on the liver to generate more glucose which will be required by the brain. Higher and persistent the stress level, more will be the requirement of glucose for the brain which in turn results in higher glucose level in the blood.
This treatment of detox, dietary change, exercises and stress management all put together works to not only bring down the blood sugar level but helps in slowly restoring the body functions and a complete life style change to lead a healthy and happy life. This is not a myth but reality where thousands of patients have been benefitted.
If you are a diabetes patient, first check your insulin resistance level by carrying out a HsCRP (Highly Sensitive C Reactive Protein) test which should ideally be less than 1 and then check your HbA1C (Haemoglobin A1C i.e., glucose and haemoglobin joined together as glycated). These two tests would indicate the level and state of diabetes. If diabetes is detected, without further delay join any of the above two agencies to get yourself treated instead of going through the course of tablets and injections and its consequences.
