It's a common denominator for most things when it comes to health: blood sugar regulation, insulin and leptin*.
Insulin resistance and high blood sugar are not only related to diabetes. Insulin affects many other systems in the body, especially those related to other hormones and immunity.
Elevated glucose levels can cause insulin to work less well over time. The receptors become less sensitive, insulin rises until the receptors are regulated down and no longer give the correct response to blood sugar. It's called insulin resistance. It can be detected – and treated – before it manifests as type 2 diabetes.
What affects blood sugar?
Insulin is secreted in response to blood sugar levels. Insulin's job is to let glucose into the cells so the body has access to it.
It is far from just diet that affects blood sugar, here are important factors:
- a constant stress onslaught with elevated cortisol and adrenaline
- too little sleep
- unbalanced diet with very fast carbohydrates and too much refined polyunsaturated fats
- lack of movement in everyday life, or an exercise that is too hard
- and not least: lack of natural wavelengths of light & dark.
Light & dark for melatonin & healthy insulin
Our hormonal systems need natural daylight and true darkness in the evening and during the night to function properly.
All evening and nighttime light that is not red or infrared interferes with insulin signaling and impairs memory. It happens through insulin's signaling pathways via an area of the brain, the hippocampus.
Blue light is found naturally in the sun during the day (even if it's cloudy) and it then stimulates healthy cortisol levels.
So how do you get better sleep? How do you know that the sleep is of good quality?
In the evening:
- protect the eyes (and preferably also the skin) from mobile, computer and other screen light.
- block glare from streetlights and all artificial lighting that is not red or infrared.
- don't go to bed too late. Then sleep really dark, use blackout curtains or a sleep mask for the eyes.
Daytime:
- get up early & make sure you get daylight right away
- see daylight again in the morning and several times during the day.
- eat plenty of protein for the first half of the day
- don't eat late at night.
Minerals for both rest & energy
Both energy and minerals are needed to bring the nervous system into a state of calm and relaxation and to counteract attacks by free radicals, radiation, noise and light pollution.
Adding minerals can support more even blood sugar, more restful sleep and a more balanced nervous system.
Mineral drops provide a mixture of easily absorbable trace elements and electrolytes.
Combining an electrolyte mixture with a supplement of magnesium facilitates relaxation and more restful sleep.
Drinking green teas, bone broth, juice or smoothie of green leaves and steamed vegetables also provides minerals. Magnesium can be difficult to get enough through the diet so a supplement can be valuable.
Synergy = interaction between different nutrients
Nutrients that increase the retention of magnesium and other minerals in the body:
boron – prunes and raisins are rich in boron .
vitamins B1 and B2
Mineral bath - Ancient Minerals flakes with flakes of magnesium and other trace elements. The body easily absorbs minerals in ion form via the skin.
Another nice way to add magnesium is to use a lotion or spray
*Leptin is a hormone that (should) signal satiety to the brain. One can have leptin resistance, just like insulin resistance.
