Insulin and aging

Centenarians, people who have lived over 100 years, don't have much in common. Many are smokers, for example. They come from all over the world without a favoring any geographic location in particular.
However, there are 3 consistent blood metabolic indicators of all centenarians which are relatively consistent: low sugar, low triglycerides, and low insulin. All 3 are relatively low for age. Among these 3 variables, insulin is the common denominator. The level of insulin sensitivity of the cell is one of the most important markers of lifespan.

Controlling your insulin levels is one of the most powerful anti-aging strategies you can possibly implement. Sugar and grains cause your body to produce insulin and high insulin levels are the single largest physical cause of accelerated aging. If you want to slow down aging and be healthy then you need to change your grains for greens.

Insulin resistance is the basis of all of the chronic diseases of aging, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, cancer, all the so-called chronic diseases of aging.

Fortunately insulin is the variable most easily influenced by a healthy diet and exercise.

Traditional doctors will prescribe drugs to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetics and give verbal acknowledgment to exercise.

A low grain, no sugar diet is one of the most effective ways to lower one's insulin levels. This is especially effective when combined with an aerobic exercise program which increases the heart rate to about 75% of its maximum and maintains it there for 45 minutes, 5 times a week.

In addition to the steps we discussed related to diet and exercise, you may want to consider chromium supplementation. Chromium helps insulin to work efficiently. Many well-controlled clinical studies through the years show blood glucose improvements in the patients tested.

Important studies include one from the Human Nutrition Research Center of the United States Department of Agriculture conducted in 1996. Researchers in the study randomized 180 adult-onset diabetics into 3 groups of 60 each: one group received placebo twice a day, the second received 100 mcg twice a say of chromium as chromium picolinate and the third received 500 mcg of chromium as chromium picolinate twice per day. Their blood work was examined at baseline, at 2 months and at 4 months. The patients were told to remain on their anti-diabetic medications and to continue with their diets and activity levels as before. The results were impressive: blood glucose, insulin levels, and cholesterol all decreased, with the higher dose generally (but not always) more effective than the 200 mcg.

I spend a lot of time researching the internet for the best prices for high quality supplements, and in my opinion the lowest price for high quality chromium picolinate is here .

Your goals should be: Reduce insulin levels as much as possible, through diet and exercise, and control your weight. 90% of those with insulin resistance are obese.

(source: http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/insulin.htm)