I am pretty sure I am Insulin Resistant w/ Healthy Adrenals, but I would like to be more confident in this.I know some tests would let me for sure, but I can't get to the Dr. for the tests for a couple of months. Are there any do it yourself tests that I can do in the meantime?

Also, as a sidenote...in SPI, she privides grams of carbs you should be eating based on your activity level. So far in SPII, I noticed she recommends grams of carbs you should be eating based on whether you are ISHA, IRBOA, etc.:readepending on which way I go, my carbs would be 15 grams according to the 1st book and 20 grams according to the 2nd. I assume I go w/ the info from SPII being its most recent. Or is there something that I'm missing?

Hi BBgirl, gorgeous picture!

I thought I was insulin resistant with healthy adreanal glands until I was tested and found out I am insulin sensitive with healthy adreanal glands. There is not a test you can do at home, it is blood labwork, but SPII gives a very thorough.

She doesn't have carbs based on activity level in this book. Seems to me she has a recommended activity level instead.

Good Luck,
Piano

Thanks Piano!


Guess, I'll have to wait until I can get tested.

According to p176 of SPII,

"You are insulin-resistant if you have an elevated fasting insulin level with one or more of the following signs/disorders: excess fat weight around your midsection, high triglyceride levels and low HDL levels, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, and/or coronary artery disease."


Do you have any of these signs/disorders? If not, you can assume you are still insulin sensitive.

Hope that helps.

Jinx

May as well go ahead and list the adrenal stuff too? p177

"You have healthy adrenal glands if you can stop all your high-adrenaline and/or cortisol habits cold turkey without experiencing withdrawal symptoms and completely falling apart emotionally and/or physically.

If you are addicted to white sugar, cafeine, nicotine, diet pills, alcohol, overexercising and/or street drugs, or if you are always tired, have a "fuzzy" brain or cannot handle stressful situations, your adrenal glands are probably burned out."

Jinx

For those succinct quotes from the book. When I read the book, I was pretty sure that I do not have burned out adrenals -- no sugar addiction or any of the other symptoms (I do get angry fairly easily, but that's my nature and I'm able to drop it quickly and easily).

As far as insulin resistance, I haven't had my fasting insulin tested, so I don't know the numbers, but the only "symptom" I have now is the weight. And it seems to me that you can cure your insulin resistance and still have the weight, right? If so, I'm thinking that after 1 1/2 years of low-carbing a la TSP, I've probably cured my insulin resistance. Now I just need to wait for my body to decide where it wants to be weight-wise. (BTW: My hA1c was in the middle of normal the last time it was tested.)

;-Deb

I have just read the SPII book and I am trying to work out what type I am.

I have been doing Atkins for a fair bit of the time in the last 18 months even though I have adapted the diet to suit me. I don't like heaps of saturated fat; I don't like AS; I have never had any of the Atkins processed foods; and I am generally better without dairy or nuts.

I recently had a whole series of blood tests to check liver functioning, kidney functioning, a full blood screen, Cholesterol as well as a fasting blood sugar test. All were normal so it was good to see I had not done any damage to my liver and kidneys plus my cholesterol was not up as predicted by family members with my low carb way of eating. Blood pressure was also tested and that still remains low.

Now a question is would I be insulin sensitive if my fasting blood sugar test was normal?

I took up drinking organic plunger coffee a few months ago before exams and I am still drinking it as I don't want to face the withdrawal headaches. I feel great and apart from an occassional allergy synptom from indulging in dairy or being around an airborne allergen I am very well. Are my adrenals fine or could they be getting stressed from drinking coffee again (I only drink one full strength one a day then I refill the plunger using the old beans again for a few more cups so the rest is simply diluted and is probably not much more than weak coffee flavoured water) ? If I withdraw a headache for a day or two is a possibility along with perhaps feeling a bit tired for that time too. It's no really big deal however and I am not going to fall apart.

I have cut way back on my exercise the last few months and now I am only doing weights three times a week. We have a small farm so I am outside in the late afternoons and usually take a stroll in the paddocks or in the bush. I am sure I could return to my fast walks on the treadmill with no trouble at all for 20 to 30 mins. I have simply been lazy though as it is winter here and bed is too cosy to leave for an early morning get up.

Oh by the way I weigh 52kg (114.60 POUNDS) and I am 162 cms or 5 foot 4 inches high. The only excess weight that I still carry is on my tummy region. My doctor reckons I am in great shape for my age (46) and she puts the podge down to being a woman and having babies! She reckons if I am really worried I could get a tummy tuck and I would be as flat as a pancake!!! I was actually more worried about Syndrome X when I brought this subject up with her and asked for various blood tests to check my health.

Hi Trisha:

You'd need to get a fasting insulin test done to be certain. But you can also make some assumptions based on the info I provided in the Sticky on the main forum page: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost...079&postcount=5

Most likely you are Insulin Sensitive.

Wanda

Thanks Wanda.

The fast I did was 12 hours and blood sugar levels (I assume they are measuring insulin) and triglycerides were fine. If that is the case then yes I am insulin sensitive.

I just did the adrenal questionnaire and scored low so maybe my adrenals are fine too.

I tried a tiny glass of good quality red wine the other night (I haven't had a drink in ages) to see what would happen. I got really tight in the chest and ended up using ventolin to relieve the symptoms. I haven't had to use a asthma reliever in an age either!

Hi Trisha:

Although one would think they are the same, fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin are 2 different tests. Blood glucose tests only measure the amount of blood sugars in the blood, not insulin.

Sorry to hear about the asthma attack. Are you allergic to sulphites? I HATE ventolin. The side effects are really horrible for me so it ticks off my allergist's nurse when I refuse to do a lung challenge test (or whatever it's called). Oh well, gets me out of breathing into that stupid tube.

Wanda

Hi Wanda,

Thanks again for the info. Rats!! I was hoping the insulin and blood sugar tests were the same thing
I saw the Doc before I had read the book as I was due for a Pap smear.(now I do hope that one is ok as I have had wonky test results for about 4 tests now so I am on six monthly check ups.

I thought I might be reacting to the preservative that they put in the wines over here. Doesn't really worry me as I don't miss not drinking alcohol. I have hardly touched the stuff in the last 9 -10 years.

I rarely need to use ventolin now but until I went low carb I used it frequently along with the cortisone preventative too!!

I was horrified when I started going to my current Dentist and she picked straight away from looking in my mouth what sprays I was using.

Hi Trisha:


I hear ya! It makes my face and tongue go numb. On the rare occassion that I have a sip, I realize how much I hate the taste of alcohol now. Guess we have a leg up on SPII, huh? Now if only sugar.....


What does it do to your teeth? Like you, I haven't had to use them since I started LCing. Good riddance.

Yes, I've managed to steer off-topic AGAIN!

Wanda

Hi Wanda

I like your cheat free sign. We will get there eventually with the sugar. I know I am getting better all the time and the stuff doesn't pull me like it used to. I made a choice and had some today and was pleased that I did not get the usual bloating so maybe the candida is gone at last. I am really finding anything with flour and sugar these days is way too sweet so I am not tempted to repeat what I did today too often. I much prefer fresh, crunchy foods anyday.

The ventolin effects the soft tissue in your mouth when it comes in contact with it. I don't know the details but it leaves a mark visible to a dentists eye.

I do know things like tea, red wine and coffee stain teeth.

I think I might start off doing the Insulin sensitive with stressed adrenal glands considering I am still drinking coffee. Exercise wise I am going to get into doing Pilates at home along with my weights. I tried a class the other day and although I didn't like the particular class I loved doing the Pilates.

i am a type 1 diab on an insulin pump. my pancreas no longer mks insulin. i know my adrenal glands are wasted. i cant afford any other tests. since dr schwarzbein doesnt mention type 1's much...only in passing, i am a bit unsure. her bks as well as others only mention working with type 2 diab and the recommendations for them.

i tk insulin in proportion (via pump...needle implanted in skin) to the amt of carbs i eat at each meal. is there someone out there who knows where i would fit in, re: resistant or sensitive since i dont mk any and have to tk it!!??
susan-elizabeth