Syndrome X: The Pre-Diabetes State - Learn How More Omega-3 in Your Diet Can Prevent it

Syndrome X: The Pre-Diabetes State - Learn How More Omega-3 in Your Diet Can Prevent it
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Syndrome X

Diabetes II (that is Diabetes two, as oposed to Diabetes one) is arises from an essential fatty acid deficiency, ( visit " What are Prostaglandins? How Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency Causes Inflammatory Disease" https://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/36405.aspx to find out why this is so).

Most Western people are deficient in this vital nutrient, therefor is not surprising that a very large proportion of Americans are showing symptoms which portend the advent of this disease - Syndrome X. Westerners in general tend to exhibit a deficiency of omega -3 fatty acids in their bodies. Persons who could already be described as being " insulin resistant" ( a borderline diabetic state) account for fifty percent of the population in United States.

Which people are at the most risk of getting diabetes? Virtually any one who is overweight and who suffers from high blood pressure. People who suffer from these conditions are all also insulin resistant. These remarkable statistics could be substantially improved simply by changing the essential fatty acid status of these people - something that is not at all difficult to do.

This pre-type II diabetes condition is called “Syndrome X”. If you have received the syndrome x diagnosis you will probably notice that you are unusually thirsty. The high levels of sugar in your blood stream in effect create a situation of dehydration as far as your cells are concerned. If you respond to your thirst by drinking sweetened beverages your blood sugar will rise farther. You will have to urinate more frequently, and yet you will feel even thirstier. Meanwhile, your cells will not be able to take in the sugar, since their insulin receptors are not working. You will feel like you are suffering the sugar blues, while your pancreas is going through a major panic, trying to get the message out to the cells to “get that sugar put away!”. You will likely feel apathetic, you might feel tingling or burning in your hands or feet and you may also experience reduced resistance to infections. The tingling or burning in your hands and feet what you feel if you are experiencing diabetic neuropathology. Researchers have now shown this to be caused by the fatty-acid breakdown of the nerve cells.

How Omega-3’s Can Reverse Type II Insuline Resistance

Insulin resistant cells are really just insulin-non-responsive cells. They aren’t actually actively resisting insulin, they are simply not responding to insulin. What researchers have noticed is that cell membranes need to be fluid in nature rather than stiff - so to speak. What they have noticed is that the less fluid a cell membrane is, the less responsive it is to insulin. Fluid cell membranes have lots of omega-3 fatty acids in their structure. Stiff cell membranes do not. Is it the cell membrane fluidity itself that is needed for the insulin receptor proteins to function properly or is it simply that omega-3 deficient cell membranes simply can’t hold enough insulin receptors? See “Cell Membrane Nutrition: Feed Your Phospholipids with Omega-3’s” by this author for more information on this topic.

Whatever the case, the good news is that simply by increasing your omega-3 intake you will be able to correct insulin resistance in your own case. Studies have shown that the frequent consumption of small amounts of omega-3 oils is all that is need to prevent insulin resistance. And, even when insulin resistance develops in a person who’s diet is high in saturated fats and omega-6 oils, but low in omega-3 oils, reversal of the condition requires only that omega-3 intake be increased. Insulin resistance can be reversed in such a case even with no decrease in saturated fat levels.

Pay attention to these choices to increase your omega-3 levels:

  • Avoid sweets, processed foods, products bake with white flour
  • Using whole grains and nuts and beans
  • Using high fiber cereals
  • Consume lots of green leafy vegetables
  • Consume lots of ocean fish
  • Use flax seed oil (one or two tbsp a day is the recommended dose, use it on toast, or on salad, or steamed vegetables)
  • Use only Olive oil and butter and coconut oil in cooking
  • AVOID margarine (even ones that say omega-3 on them)
  • AVOID supermarket refined oils
  • AVOID oil containing salad dressing (make your own with olive oil or use flax seed oil directly)
  • EXERCISE

One interesting and beneficial side effect of this regime is that if you are overweight, you are very likely to loose weight, and if you have high blood pressure, it will be improved.

References:

Murray, T. N.D. and Jade Beutler, R.R.T., R.C.P.,(1996). Understanding Fats & Oils, Progressive Health Publishing, Encinitas, CA.

Gordon, Garry, M.D., D.O., M.D.(H.), Herb Joiner-Bey, N.D.(2004).The Omega-3 Miracle. Freedom Press, Topanga, CA