Regular exercise is extremely beneficial for your health; it may not make you slimmer though. Exercise does burn calories and increase muscle mass, but it cannot compensate for an unhealthy diet or a diet too high in carbohydrate. What you eat, and the health of your liver are bigger determinants of your weight and risk of type 2 diabetes.

New research has shown that participating in high intensity aerobic exercise does not always prevent the development of metabolic syndrome. This is according to researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Eastern Finland. The study was published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

Metabolic syndrome is also known as insulin resistance and is a combination of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Symptoms may include low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL aka good cholesterol), elevated blood pressure, increased triglycerides and high body fat.

In this experiment, the researchers examined the body size and composition of 352 children aged nine to 11 years old and 572 middle aged men before and after completing an aerobic fitness programme. Body composition was measured using a combination of scans, BMI and measuring skin folds.

The researchers found that aerobic fitness did not prevent the development of metabolic syndrome in children as well as adults. Senior author of the study, Dr Eero Haapala said: “Our results show that being overweight or obese increases the risk of metabolic syndrome regardless of the level of aerobic fitness. Instead of focusing on aerobic fitness, preventing metabolic syndrome should start with increasing physical activity, improving diet quality, and controlling weight.”

If you want to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, here are some effective strategies:

  • Improve the function of insulin

There are certain herbs and nutrients that help to make insulin more effective in your body. This is a good thing because if it’s more effective, you won’t need to secrete as much of it into your bloodstream.
The most important nutrients for insulin action are chromium and magnesium. You have probably heard that chromium helps to reduce sugar cravings and it’s true. It does this by helping to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day. Chromium deficiency is incredibly common because not many foods are a good source of this mineral. Also when you eat sugar or high carb foods, it flushes chromium out of your body through your urine.
Magnesium is also necessary for healthy insulin action. People who take blood pressure medication or diuretics (fluid tablets) are typically low in magnesium. Magnesium helps to relax your nervous system and makes you feel less stressed. Thus it is fantastic for people who eat when they feel stressed.
Gymnema sylvestre is an herb that helps to keep your blood sugar stable and it helps to reduce sugar cravings. It is also very good for diabetics. Bitter melon is a vegetable that is commonly used in Asian cuisine. True to its name, it is an extremely bitter vegetable and many people are not able to handle the intense flavor at all. You can find all of these nutrients, along with chromium, combined together in Glicemic Balance capsules. When taken with meals they help to reduce hunger and cravings and help to lower your blood insulin level. Berberine helps to improve insulin sensitivity, cholesterol metabolism and assists weight loss. It is very helpful for those with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.

  • Make sure your liver is an effective fat burner

A healthy liver is very important for blood sugar control. This is because the liver can store glucose and fat, and also produce glucose and fat. You want your liver to be good at fat burning. People with a healthy liver have a fast metabolism and don’t gain weight as easily. Unfortunately a lot of people have a fatty liver and their liver is doing the opposite of what it should be doing – it is very busy making fat.
A healthy liver also helps to control your blood sugar level. If you have not eaten for several hours, your liver is supposed to release some stored glucose into your bloodstream to give you energy and keep hunger at bay. People with a sluggish liver struggle with this and they often feel excessively hungry, weak or irritable if they have gone several hours without food. It makes sticking to a diet extremely difficult! To help improve your liver health I recommend you follow the diet in my book Fatty Liver You Can Reverse It. It is not a difficult eating plan to stick to and you should not feel hungry.
Taking a good quality liver tonic like Livatone Plus will provide the nutrients your liver requires in order to burn fat and detoxify your bloodstream more effectively.

  • Follow an eating style that supports a fast metabolism

Insulin resistant people cannot handle common levels of carbohydrate in their diet. They over secrete insulin in response to eating carbs and they are less likely to feel satisfied after a meal, therefore tend to over eat. That means carbohydrate needs to be restricted in the diet. It is best to get your carbohydrate from vegetables, along with small amounts of fruit, nuts and seeds. There is an easy to follow low carbohydrate eating plan in my syndrome X book and type 2 diabetes book.
Protein is the most important nutrient for those wanting to lose weight and reduce their blood insulin level. It is critical to eat protein at every meal because it is extremely satiating. It will help to make you feel more full and satisfied after a meal, and keep you feeling satisfied for longer. This way sticking to a healthy diet won’t be so much of a struggle. Examples of protein include eggs, seafood, poultry and red meat. Dairy products, nuts and seeds contain smaller levels of protein. Protein powders can be extremely helpful for those wanting to lose weight because they provide a quick, tasty and easy meal option for busy days. A protein powder smoothie can also make a delicious and filling snack mid morning or in the afternoon, when you might be struggling with sugar cravings. You can use either whey based or pea protein powder.

 

Reference: https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(22)00213-4/fulltext

 

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.