burning one fuel source (carbohydrate) to the
other (fat). Chronically elevated insulin levels
are correlated with leptin resistance and
indirectly related to elevated cortisol levels.
Insulin is about as close to a “master
hormone” as you can get. It acts on virtually
all cells in the body and directly controls or
influences energy storage, cell growth and
repair, reproductive function, and, most
important, blood sugar levels.
Insulin “unlocks” a one-way door into
cells so they can store or use nutrients. Insulin
effectively stores all macronutrients—protein,
fat and carbohydrates—but its secretion is
most closely tied with carbohydrate
ingestion.*
When we eat carbohydrate, it is broken
down in our bodies into simple sugars and
then absorbed into the bloodstream. This leads
to a rise in the amount of circulating blood
sugar (glucose).