Cinamon, Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

A few months ago I stumbled upon an article that tied together cinnamon, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Intrigued, I did some follow up research and made some astonishing discoveries. In fact, I’m absolutely amazed that what I discovered isn’t covered on the nightly news, the major newspapers, and is a constant top story on Drudge considering the profundity of what you’re about to learn.

First, the background on insulin, insulin resistance, and diabetes. After we eat, food is broken down into glucose, the simple sugar that is the main source of energy for the body’s cells. But our cells cannot use glucose without insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells take in glucose and convert it to energy. When the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use the insulin that is present, the cells cannot use glucose. Excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, setting the stage for diabetes.

Being obese or overweight affects the way insulin works in your body. Extra fat tissue can make your body resistant to the action of insulin. If you have insulin resistance, your muscle, fat, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. The pancreas tries to keep up with the demand for insulin by producing more. Eventually, the pancreas cannot keep up with the body’s need for insulin, and excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream. Many people with insulin resistance have high levels of blood glucose and high levels of insulin circulating in their blood at the same time.

People with blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range have “pre-diabetes” or “insulin resistance.” Insulin resistance is a hidden condition, one that doesn’t present any symptoms, that increases the likelihood of developing diabetes and debilitating heart conditions. If you have pre-diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Studies have shown that most people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years, unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight