Antony J. Haynes - The Insulin Resistance Factor: A Nutritionists Plan for Reversing the Effects of Syndrome X

Can't Lose Weight?

Can't Concentrate?

Can't Resist Sugar?

Could SYNDROME X Be Your Problem?

THE

INSULIN

RESISTANCE

FACTOR

A Nutritionist's Plan for
Reversing the Effects of
Syndrome X

ANTONY J. HAYNES

Conari Press

First U.S. edition published in 2012 by Conari Press,

an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser, llc

With offices at:

665 Third Street, Suite 400

San Francisco, CA 94107

www.redwheelweiser.com

Published by arrangement with HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

First published by Thorsons 2004

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Antony Haynes 2004

Antony Haynes asserts the moral right to be

identified as the author of this work

ISBN 978-1-57324-549-4

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

Clays Ltd, St Ives plc

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

For Bharti and Ben

Introduction

Why should I read this book?

Do you always struggle with your weight despite watching what you eat?

Do you store most of your body fat around your middle?

Do you always crave sugary or starchy foods?

Do you have a poor memory or concentration and get a fuzzy brain, especially after eating?

Do you regularly feel tired or lethargic even if you've had a good night's sleep?

Do you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol?

Do you have a history of heart disease or diabetes in your family?

If your answer is yes to one, two, or more of these questions you may well have an imbalance of a hormone in your body called insulin. And you are not alone. As many as four out of every five people have some degree of what is known as Insulin Resistance. Most of us aren't even aware of it and, generally speaking, it is only the 22 to 25 percent of the population who have full-blown Insulin Resistance who are more likely to get a proper diagnosis.

A staggering 80 percent of the population have some degree of Insulin Resistance, 22 to 25 percent of which have full-blown Insulin Resistance

What is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin Resistance, also known as Syndrome X and the Metabolic Syndrome, is a condition that occurs when, for a variety of reasons, your body makes too much insulin.

Insulin is a powerful hormone secreted by the pancreas in order to control the way the body stores and uses carbohydrates in the body. Under normal conditions, insulin is produced within moments of blood glucose levels increasing, which occurs after we eat something. In simple terms, its purpose is to enable the muscles and other tissues to take up the glucose they require for activity and keep blood sugar levels to an acceptable level by storing any excess glucose for future use. However, for a variety of reasonswhich, of course, we'll look at in detailthis mechanism can become faulty, with the result that some tissues become resistant to the effects of insulin and the pancreas has to produce more insulin to get the blood glucose level down. This has many important implications for your metabolism and your general healthin essence, it makes you overweight and tired, and it dramatically increases your risk, first of heart disease and then of type II diabetes. If left untreated, Insulin Resistance will often lead to type II diabetes.

Insulin Resistance is also known as Syndrome X and the Metabolic Syndrome.

The good news is that whatever degree of Insulin Resistance you may have, you can completely reverse it by following the Insulin Factor Plan. This means that you will:

Lose weight safely and permanently

Feel energetic and alert

Stop feeling tired or dizzy before or after meals

Improve your memory and concentration

Stop craving sugary and starchy foods

Stop digestive problems from causing bloating, pain, constipation, etc.

Slow down your body's aging processlook younger for longer!

Lower cholesterol and high blood pressure

Improve fertility and, if you are a woman, reduce your chance of developing PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)

Lower your risk of getting heart disease and cancer

Alleviate inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and gout

Never get type II diabetes

In short, you'll feel healthy, energetic, and ready for anythingit will dramatically improve your quality of life!

How do I get started?

The Insulin Factor Plan is not a one-solution-fits-all program because there are a range of imbalances that together or individually cause Insulin Resistance, and there are also different degrees of Insulin Resistance. With the help of questionnaires throughout the book you will be able to identify what degree of Insulin Resistance you have and which imbalances are causing it. Once you have pinpointed your imbalancessome of you will only have one or two, while others may need to address them allyou can turn to the end of the book and find out how to put together your personal plan of action. Generally speaking, you will need to make changes to your diet, take particular nutritional supplements, and look at your lifestyle. The Insulin Factor Plan will help you with all three. You will of course need to commit yourself to making these changes, but the fact that you have this book and are already reading it is a very positive first step. While Insulin Resistance doesn't happen overnight, it can take only a few weeks before you notice an improvement in your symptoms. However, you also need to be patient because it will take an average of six months to permanently rebalance your insulin levels. Also, the more weight you need to lose the longer you will need to allow.