My name is Miguel and I'm 22 years old.
I learned about Steemit social media 6 months ago but never had the chance to publish anything. My girlfriend Sara @itsjustmylife has been Steeming for over 4 months now and had received a lot of support from you guys. So… she motivated me to open my own blog.
Currently, I course my last semester in medical science and I feel prepared for conducting my first clinical study. Unfortunately, the amount of patients and money needed to publish an article on a medical magazine is way more than the resources I have in my power right now.
Luckily, I remembered Steemit- a website that supports new users that publish original new content- so here I am!
In this blog I will publish an ongoing clinical investigation with all the steps during a period of 6 months (1 publication every week with the progress made).
The objective is to prove that diabetes/insulin resistance is a reversible condition, and if treated correctly can be cured.
In the last decade Diabetes Mellitus 2 patients around the globe increased in an alarming rate, currently the amount calculated is more than 350,000,000 people in the world (This is 6% of the adult population)! In my beloved country Mexico DM2 is the leading cause of death, I know this… DM2 has been present through generations in my family, and I have lost my grandparents due to it.
Because of this my latest project focuses on reversing the natural course of Insulin Resistance and Diabetes and I wish for your support throughout the process. But first let me give you a background on the subject and how this goal came to be.
Last summer, while reading toxicology and addictive patterns, a concept in the textbook made me think that Insulin Resistance and Drug Resistance had similar molecular pathways, if this comes to be true, Diabetes could be treated the same way as drug addicts!
The key concept of the theory is TOLERANCE. Tolerance to a substance has similar pathways independent from the type of substance or cell type (either Insulin OR Heroin).
Let me explain here. It is known that all the cells in our body adapt to survive in different environments.
A cell responds to external stimulus; for example: heroin/opioid users experience TOLERANCE because the cell modifies in response to the heroin in bloodstream. Each cell has multiple receptors for many many substances (such as heroin, cocaine, cannabinoids, glucose/ insulin, etc...) Each receptor works like an elastic band--- the first time works really well, but with repeated use it loses its properties.
The theory of TOLERANCE is well known and it has been proven multiple times: New stimulus provoke a strong body response because the cell receptors to the substance were used for the first time (example: first kiss, first party, first orgasm, first time drunk or high) - all of these experiences and emotions are processed in the brain in the form of neurotransmitters; The neurotransmitters or substances bind with the cell receptor to create a response. When and if... a stimulus repeats over and over and over the cell diminish the number of receptors available to that specific substance... This is called TOLERANCE, and it is why heroin, cocaine, cannabinoid, pornography, sugar addicts need more of the substance to reach the same "highs".
This is the fundamental problem in Diabetes Mellitus 2. TOLERANCE OF THE CELLS
Image taken from fwcdscience
Insulin is also a substance, classified as a hormone, and is produced by beta-cells in the pancreas. Insulin has a tremendous importance in the body, and without it we would be dead within a short period of time.
Insulin binds to a receptor in the cells of the body and propagates a response, when insulin binds to the cell it opens a channel in which glucose (sugar) can pass into the cell. This is the main way a cell receives glucose to make energy (ATP).
So... EVERY TIME WE EAT, glucose enters our body. Glucose is also a substance and binds to a receptor located in beta-cells in pancreas. This stimulate the pancreas to release insulin.
(insulin is released when blood sugar levels are high --- after eating --- by this means, cells are provided with "food").
Remember the problem with TOLERANCE?? Here is the problem with Diabetes...
When we eat an excess of glucose-rich foods (cookies, pays, nutella, ice cream, juice, soda, etc...) our glucose blood concentration rises out of proportion, so it binds strongly with beta cell receptors to release an enormous amount of INSULIN to deal with all that excess of sugar.
The immense amount of INSULIN released can deal with the excess of sugar the first times, later, the tissues of our body adapt by diminishing INSULIN receptors. And each time we need MORE and MORE insulin to deal with the excess of sugar THIS IS TOLERANCE, in medical terms "INSULIN RESISTANCE".
If we repeat this event again and again our tissues will become really insensitive to INSULIN, and the amount produced by pancreas would not be enough to deal with all the excess sugar in the blood, so our basal blood sugar starts rising.
Next, if we don't do something, the beta cells from pancreas will experience fatigue (they are being exploited by increasing demands of insulin), eventually the cells experience damage and many lose their function. So less insulin is produced + tissues with resistance + high glucose intake= DM2
NOTE: According to the American Diabetes Association (70-100 mg/dL) is the normal concentration of sugar in blood. People with Diabetes have consistent readings of 126mg/dL or more.
So in summary: High glucose intake -> Extreme insulin release by beta cells from pancreas -> if process repeats --> tissues develop TOLERANCE to insulin -> More insulin is needed -> Beta cells fatigue and less insulin is produced ->blood sugar rises -> excess sugar in blood damage tissues such as retina, kidneys, brain, arteries, immunity, etc...
With all this process we could think-- WOW its complicated, maybe it cannot be reversed.
But, what if we use the concept of DEFEATING TOLERANCE!
How does a cell regain receptors or sensitivity? --- Easy, by suspending the stimulus. If a stimulus is no longer available, the cell will work to create new receptors, this is the natural physiologic response.
After this thought I decided to do research on the subject. I found a book made by Dr. Jason Fung, right away I bought it and read it. He believed that stopping the stimulus is the way to regain the receptors in the cells, and this is achieved by FASTING.
FASTING is like DRUG ABSTINENCE for diabetes patients.
After reading the book I was intrigued by Dr. Fung claims, but unfortunately I could not find ANY of his clinical trials. So I decided to do my own research with my own body.
--- As I said I'm 22 years old, I have genetic predisposition to diabetes, and in the last 3 years gained 20 Kg.
--- I decided to get some labs done to asses my current state...
--- Here are my results
You could see that glucose and insulin levels are within the normal but, this is deceiving for many. To know if someone has the process I just explained (Insulin Resistance), we must do the HOMA INDEX. This Index is a way to measure the amount of glucose in relation with insulin levels. This is the standard way to detect if someone has Insulin Resistance.
Homa Index= Glucose x Insulin / 405
If result is > 2.5 = Insulin Resistance
Homa Index= 19.62 x 91 /405 = 4.4
My Homa Index is greater than 2.5, therefore my diagnosis is insulin resistance (or as many call "pre-diabetes)
The results worry me, if I continue with this path the amount of patients with DM2 will increase by 1. So the main goal in the period of 6 months is to find a way to reverse the Insulin Resistance and have an Homa Index below 2.5.
I have hope with my plan, next week I will publish the main strategy to accomplish and reverse diabetes/Insulin Resistance, this will include diet, exercise, habits, etc.
I wish all of your support during this 6 month period.
I you like this and want to see all the progress don’t forget to follow me at @reversediabetes.
Thank you Steemers!
Welcome to Steemit!
Help me get steem @nbahighlights
Thanks trogdor !
Welcome.! I invite you to see my blog and give me follow.
Thank you I will, follow me
Bienvenido a Steem it!, Deseo que tengas el mayor de los éxitos en tu investigación. Esta muy interesante, y estoy totalmente de acuerdo que se puede revertir, en un tiempo me dijeron que posiblemente podría padecer de Diabetes porque no me alimentaba correctamente y mis niveles en sangre eran elevados. Sin embargo, con una alimentación balanceada y una rutina de ejercicio mis niveles regresaron a la normalidad. Un abrazo.