The Atkins diet principles lay the foundation for a healthy, more balanced way of eating the standard American diet. His emphasis is on the proper use of carbohydrates in balance with adequate protein. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat every day. The average American eats many processed foods that have been hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. This has place most Americans on the path to diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions. What is sad is that diabetes is a series of predictable stages and can be easily recognized.

The road to diabetes has to do with something called the glycemic index. All carbohydrates are ranked in this index over the level of reaction that produce insulin. Foods that have a high glycemic index of stars will make your pancreas to release a large amount of insulin to decompose the amount of sugars and carbohydrates (which produce large amounts of glucose). The refined carbohydrates and sugars which make up the vast majority of the American diet rank very high on the glycemic index.

We are able to more readily digest these foods as children, because our bodies function more efficiently in our youth. There may have been side effects, like weight gain and mood swings, but they didn’t stand out. As we age, but, these symptoms start to grow and become more prevalent. The nation-wide obesity epidemic is a result of high-carbohydrate diets and unstable blood sugar levels.

Many people who are overweight are also resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance means that insulin is not doing its job in removing glucose from the blood. The pancreas is working and that releases large amounts of insulin, sometimes 20 times higher than the body really needs. This translates into the blood sugar to fall to extremely low levels. This sets off a chain reaction in the body that leads to a release of adrenaline to right the problem blood sugar.

With age, blood sugar and insulin difficulties become more aggravated. The condition is called “hyperinsulinism” and is a precursor for type II diabetes. It is normally accompanied by high blood pressure and high triglycerides. After years of using a high-carbohydrate diet, you will finally become fully diabetic. Insulin is the body’s primary stout creator and extra pounds usually accompany late onset diabetes. Pre-diabetic conditions, if not treated effectively, will lead to diabetes indefinitely.

But, there are easily identifiable signs of diabetes that appears earlier. Your family doctor can perform tests insulin levels that will let you know if you are at risk for pre-diabetes conditions, and studies show that low-carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins can help. Controlling your blood sugar is one of the most effective ways to monitor the conditions pre-diabetics.

The Atkins diet helps effectively control blood sugar. The combination of proteins, fats and excellent carbohydrates will keep your body satisfied without the roller coaster effect. Controlling carbohydrates in quantity as well as type will help limit the insulin spikes. This will let your pancreas work in the way that it was meant to be, and it will decrease the likelihood of your developing pre-diabetic conditions. It’s a vicious cycle that, if left unchecked, can lead to diabetes later in life. When the Atkins diet is followed effectively it produces stable blood sugar throughout the day and helps you stay off the road to diabetes.

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