We all know that high cholesterol and high blood pressure are warning signs of an increased risk of heart disease.  And you are probably aware that heart disease still kills more people than any other cause. So it’s important to take these warning signs seriously. But there is another warning sign that you might never have heard of. A warning sign that the American Heart Association considers “the most statistically significant predictor of heart attack risk.”  

What is this unknown risk factor? It’s called insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that helps to control blood sugar by clearing sugar out of the blood and into the cells, where it is used for energy. Insulin resistance is s a condition that causes your cells to become less responsive (in other words, resistant) to the effects of insulin. 

Now, if you think of insulin problems as being related to diabetes, you are partially correct. If you have insulin resistance, you are well on your way to full-blown diabetes.  But what you may not realize is that insulin resistance is also key trigger for something known as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X.  Once you have Syndrome X, you are on a fast track to a

potentially fatal heart attack or stroke

In September, 2005, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a division of the American Heart Association, issued a strongly worded statement expressing its concern about the growing problem of insulin resistance and Syndrome X in the United States.  NHLBI Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., said “this statement should serve as an alert to physicians that it is vitally important to identify and treat the growing number of people with metabolic syndrome.”

Many medical students learn an acronym to help them remember the risks associated with insulin resistance and Syndrome X. CHAOS.

Coronary artery disease

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Adult onset diabetes

Obesity

Stroke

But we may need a new acronym because mere “chaos” doesn’t fully describe the situation. Now, we have learned that insulin resistance may also increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and even certain kinds of cancer.

What are the symptoms of insulin resistance?

That’s just the problem. Insulin resistance usually has no symptoms whatsoever.  But the National Institutes of Health estimates that about one in four Americans is insulin resistant. If you are over the age of 60, your risk is almost doubled to 43%. [1]  

The only way to know for sure if you are insulin resistant is to have lab tests that measure the level of insulin and the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood.  Elevated insulin levels, with or without elevated blood sugar levels indicate insulin resistance.  The following screening questions also serve as a gauge for your risk of insulin resistance:

1. Is your body mass index (see box) higher than 25?

2. Does your waist measure more than 40 inches (if you are a man) or 35 inches (if you are a woman?

3. Do you have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high triglycerides, high LDL cholesterol, or high blood pressure?

4. Do you have a high level of stress in your life?

Each “yes” increases the chance that you are insulin resistant.

Calculate your Body Mass Index  

How to avoid (or come back) from insulin resistance

It is possible to combat insulin resistance by improving your diet, reducing stress, and using specialized nutritional supplements. According to Dr. Steven Holt, lifestyle changes and targeted nutrition may be more effective than any drugs in preventing and treating insulin resistance and the related disorders.[2]

In my report The Syndrome X Eating Plan, I explain how you can change your diet to help avoid insulin resistance.  In this report, I’d like to focus on the other parts of the prescription: reducing stress and targeted nutrition.

The stress connection

You have probably heard that stress is bad for your heart…and insulin resistance may be the connection between the two. When you are under any kind of stress--whether it is physical stress (such as an illness or injury) or psychological stress (such as a high-stress job or financial worries) your adrenal gland secretes a hormone called cortisol. 

One of the effects of cortisol is that it raises your blood sugar. When your blood sugar goes up, it causes your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Occasional, temporary elevations of cortisol, blood sugar, and insulin are not going to cause any major problems. But when stress becomes a way of life, it’s a whole different story.

If your daily life is stressful, your cortisol levels are going to be chronically elevated. That means your blood sugar levels stay elevated, which signals your pancreas to produce more and more insulin.  That’s the scenario that leads to insulin resistance and Syndrome X. [3]  Here’s the equation in a nutshell: High cortisol + high blood sugar + high insulin = high risk of heart disease.

So the first step in the fight against insulin resistance is to reduce stress.  Even if you can’t remove the stressors from your life (most of us can’t), you can reduce the negative effects of stress on your body.  The following techniques can help to lower cortisol levels and protect you from stress-related disease.

1) Conscious Breathing.  Breathing is something that most of us do without thinking.  But taking five or ten minutes to focus exclusively on your breath can calm the mind and relax the body.   It also gives you a brief respite from stressful and anxiety-producing thoughts. There’s nothing fancy or complicated about this technique. Simply get comfortable and begin to focus on your inhalation and exhalation. If other thoughts occur to you, simply put them aside and return your attention to the breath.  After just a few minutes, without any conscious effort on your part, you will probably notice that your breathing has slowed and you are breathing more deeply. This is an indication that you have successfully shifted your autonomic nervous system out of stress mode and into a recovery mode. Try to practice this technique at least once a day.

2) Progressive relaxation.  This is a time-honored technique that is widely used to reduce stress, pain, and insomnia. It is simple but extraordinarily effective.  Here is one variation:

§         Lie on your back in a comfortable position and take several slow, relaxing breaths.

§         Beginning with your feet, focus on each part of your body in turn. (Feet, ankle, calf, knee, thigh, etc.)  As you focus on each part, become aware of any muscular tension that may exist and try to release it. Many people find it helpful to deliberately tense the muscle for a second or two before releasing it.

§         Pay particular attention to noticing and releasing tension in your hands, neck, jaw, and forehead.

§         When you have completed your body scan, lie with your eyes closed for several minutes and enjoy a sense of deep relaxation.

While you can do progressive relaxation on your own, you can also find relaxation and/or medication tapes at your local library or bookstore that walk you through the process and help to keep you focused and relaxed.

3) Exercise. Any form of exercise that gets your heart beating faster will help to reduce cortisol and the negative effects of stress.  Exercise is most effective when you do it regularly so the best strategy is to pick something that you really enjoy.  Many people find walking to be the ideal form of exercise because it requires nothing more than a comfortable pair of shoes.  Gardening, dancing, bike riding, and tennis are also great ways to get some exercise and relieve stress. Try to get some form of exercise almost every day.

4.) Stop multi-tasking. Most of us have become accustomed to filling each moment with one or more activities. We return phone calls while we’re making dinner, balance our checkbook at stop lights, and check email during meetings.  For a relaxing and stress-reducing change of pace, try doing just one thing at a time and giving it your full attention.  While waiting for the water to boil, or the light to change, or the email to download, close your eyes. Take a deep breath and relax your shoulders. Smile.  You’d be amazed how much a few brief moments of relaxation a day can do to lower your cortisol and stress levels.

Targeted nutrition for better glucose and insulin control

The function of insulin in the body is to clear glucose (sugar) out of the blood and into your individual cells where it can be used to energize cellular metabolism. Whenever your brain detects that your blood sugar is too high, it sends a signal to your pancreas to secrete insulin. As insulin clears the glucose out of your blood and your blood sugar begins to fall, your brain signals your pancreas to stop releasing insulin.

With insulin resistance, your body becomes less and less sensitive to the effects of insulin. That means that it takes more and more insulin to control blood sugar levels.  This results in a dangerous upward spiral of higher and higher blood sugar and higher and higher insulin levels…leading to Syndrome X. 

Changes in diet and lifestyle can help to improve insulin sensitivity. But if you are at risk, I also recommend supplementation with nutrients that further enhance your body’s use of insulin. Here is a guide to nutritional support for Syndrome X.

Cinnamon extract.  The most exciting new discovery for enhancing insulin sensitivity comes from one of the oldest spices in the world. It turns out that certain phenolic polymers from cinnamon have an insulin-like activity directly at the cellular level.[4]   These active components of cinnamon can improve glucose metabolism roughly 20 fold.[5] In a recent clinical study of people with type II diabetes, taking large amounts of cinnamon for 40 days led to significant reductions in blood sugar levels.  The subjects also had meaningful reductions in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.[6] The amount of cinnamon required to achieve these sorts of effects is large…up to 5 grams per day. I recommend instead a patented extract called Cinnulin PF.  Research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has shown Cinnulin to be effective. Clinical studies suggest a daily intake of 250 mg per day.

Alpha lipoic acid

Alpha lipoic acid is mostly widely known for its use in people with diabetes. It has been used in Germany for over 30 years as a prescription medicine for the treatment of diabetes-induced neuropathy.[7]⁽⁸⁾ Lipoic acid words by activating the cell’s insulin receptors, making the cell more sensitive to the effects of insulin.[8]  It is a critical nutrient for anyone at risk of insulin resistance. I recommend taking 100 milligrams per day. As an added benefit, alpha lipoic acid is an extremely potent antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidative damage.

Chromium

You may have seen chromium used in nutritional weight loss formulas. The reason that chromium is so popular with dieters is that it activates insulin receptors and helps to reduce elevated blood sugar levels,[9] which helps with weight loss. It also helps to normalize insulin production and lower the risk of Syndrome X.  If you have a sweet tooth, you may have extra requirements for chromium.  The more sugar you eat, the more chromium is excreted in the urine,[10] which can lead to deficiencies and fuel insulin resistance. Consider supplementing with 100 to 200 mcg of chromium per day.

Vanadium

Although we don’t know exactly how it works in the body, we know that vanadium has a very positive effect on sugar metabolism, specifically via the insulin pathway. Vanadium does not directly lower blood sugar, but it enhances the natural effects of insulin[11]--which is exactly what you need if you are at risk of insulin resistance. In addition, vanadium works to boost the beneficial effects of chromium. Studies have found that supplementation with vanadium results in the normalization of several diabetes-related abnormalities in carbohydrate and fat metabolism.[12] I recommend that you take up to 10 mcg per day, together with chromium.

Biotin.   Insulin is produced by your pancreas.  If your cells have become resistant to insulin, your pancreas has to work harder and harder to control your blood sugar. Eventually, the pancreas can become exhausted and stop functioning altogether--at which point you become an insulin-dependent diabetic.  One of the B vitamins, biotin, specifically helps support the health and function of your pancreas.  In sufficient amounts, biotin helps to normalize blood sugar[13] and to improve the health of the pancreas.  It has even been studied for its ability to prevent the onset of diabetes.  Most multi-vitamins contain biotin, but only in small amounts. To support your pancreas and normal insulin production, 2 mg of biotin per day is recommended.

Conclusion

The full dangers of insulin resistance and Syndrome X are still not widely known.  But taking steps against these twin threats may be the most important thing you can do to avoid becoming another heart disease statistic.  The nutrients discussed in this report are safe and natural ways to protect your heart and your health.  You can find these supplements individually in any health or nutrition store. With my own patients, I have had very good results with a product called Metorin X , which includes all of these nutrients at the recommended strengths.

Metorin X formula

Ingredients                                                    

Cinnulin PF                                                     250mg

Alpha lipoic acid                                             100mg

Chromium (GTF)                                            200mcg

Selenium (Yeast)                                             200mcg

Manganese (HVP or citrate)                           5mg

Vanadium HVP                                              10mcg

Magnesium (oxide)                                         200mg

Green tea extract XX% polyphenols               240mg

Mixed carotenoids                                          20mg

Niacinamide B3                                              30mg

Pyridoxine B6                                                 50mg

Folic acid                                                        400mcg

Biotin B8                                                        2mg

Cyanocobalamin B12                                      200mcg

Click here to learn about a breakthrough discovery in the battle against Syndrome-X.