Choose Health is Offering a Blood Test Kit that Measures Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Insulin Resistance
Choose Health, a company that creates a convenient at-home blood testing kit, has published a blog post that discusses the relationship between a person’s sugar intake and their propensity for problems such as oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body. Every carbohydrate that gets consumed, whether it is refined or not, gets broken down into glucose before being converted into energy. The body maintains a delicate balance of the level of glucose in the body through the production of insulin, a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. When the level of insulin in the body goes off-kilter, the result is diabetes.
There are two types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to make enough insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually genetic and gets diagnosed early in life. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the receptors of the cells in the body become resistant to insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body creates so much insulin in response to the elevated blood sugar levels that slowly the cells stop responding to it. This leads to the body being unable to use glucose leading to lower energy levels and a litany of other health problems.
The amount of oxidative stress on the body is also linked to the onset of type 2 diabetes. Oxidation creates reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a byproduct of the process of energy generation in the body. When ROS levels are low, they play a crucial role in signaling pathways. When the ROS levels increase beyond reasonable measure, the body undergoes oxidative stress, increasing insulin production, leading to insulin resistance, and in turn exacerbating the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. High levels of oxidative stress and sugar causes inflammation. Inflammation causes damage to the organs and blood vessels leading to chronic conditions that are difficult to remedy. The blog post reminds readers that though lifestyle changes can be a solution to minimizing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, genetics also plays a huge role in it.
The blog post then lists some steps that can be taken in order to limit the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes as one grows older. The biggest culprit is the presence of processed foods in one’s diet. Anything that usually comes in a package has been designed to appeal to the taste buds. Packaged foods get loaded with sugar in many different forms to increase palatability. So if anything lists sugar, glucose, fructose, or high-fructose corn syrup as the main ingredient, the buyer should be wary of its effect on their health and only consume them in minimal quantities.
Fruits and vegetables are a great way to get antioxidants. These antioxidants reduce the levels of ROS in the blood which in turn will reduce the oxidative stress on the body. Eating natural is also a great substitute for processed foods. Including fresh and vegetables in one’s diet will help cut down on excessive carbohydrates, help increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce insulin resistance.
Finally, the blog post recommends exercise and meditation as two key physical activities for keeping the body’s oxidative stress under control. The activities are also conducive to reducing harmful visceral fat in the body that impairs the functioning of key organs. Meditation and expressing gratitude works on both a mental and physical level to uplift mood and improve overall health.
Choose Health manufactures an at-home blood test kit that measures the six key markers of health namely cholesterol, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, visceral fat, inflammation, and average blood sugar. The blood sugar test kit can be personalized by selecting the main factors that one would like to focus on including energy, weight management, sleep, long-term health, and fitness. The results from the kit can also be tracked conveniently in an app.