My functional medicine journey!
The main aim of functional medicine is getting to the ‘why’, the root cause, of an ailment. For example, if you have slightly elevated blood pressure, a functional medicine doctor will investigate why that is so. A cardiologist or general practitioner may do the same, but their focus is on the symptoms and may be quick to prescribe medication to lower pressure without getting to the root cause. I got interested in functional medicine through my niece’s husband 5 years ago. I have been consulting with a functional medicine doctor ever since.
What I like about functional medicine is that it looks at the body as an entire system of systems. Our body is a set of interconnected systems. And how they interact with each other, based on our diet, lifestyle, and behaviour, decides how we function. And this is where I learned the most and had the greatest benefit. Though I have several areas that I am focusing on, in this article I will talk about my first goal, insulin.
I used to be a sugar burner NOT a fat burner. Let me give you some context before I continue. I used to get hungry quickly when I did endurance sports. I would need food to keep going. I was at my ideal weight and not diabetic. I was eating relatively healthy with no snacking in between meals. I didn’t have a sweet tooth but enjoyed sweets occasionally. I was frequently hungry (even when not doing sport), sometimes got angry when hungry (hangry) and my energy levels would peak and trough during sports. I wanted to understand why this was so. And I got my answer.
I was a sugar burner. My body was tapping into glucose as my source of energy. This is the most inefficient source of energy. If you have any of these symptoms, you may be a sugar burner too. A simple fasted blood test for sugar and insulin will give you or your functional medicine doctor the data needed to discern this.
The functional medicine science on insulin is that we should keep our natural insulin level low. Because insulin is a fat-storing hormone. A high insulin level leads to fat storage, inflammation, and eventually insulin resistance (which can lead to diabetes). Keeping our insulin level low requires a change in diet. One that is lower in carbohydrates (carbs).
I love my carbs. And I still eat them, but I got clever about how I eat them. Upon reviewing my eating habits, I realised some of my meals were carbs only. Not good. So, I added protein to those meals. If I had 2 slices of toast for breakfast (before), I now have one slice of toast with two eggs. The protein in eggs decelerates the sugar from toast spiking insulin and keeps me feeling full for longer. When I have rolled oats, I add protein and nuts.
Long story short, my insulin level is lower compared to two years ago. My initial reading was 9 IU/ml when I tested it 2 years ago. It is now 3.3 IU/ml and my corresponding fasted sugar level is low too. I am therefore needing less insulin to keep my sugar level low. I have lowered the usage of sugar as my energy source.
The thing to note here is although 9 IU/ml is within the normal range (1.9-23 IU/ml) for insulin, this is immaterial to a functional medicine (FM) doctor. A general practitioner (GP) may ignore it saying it is within the normal range. For a functional medicine doctor, 9 is too high! And that’s the fundamental difference between how medicine is practiced by both streams (FM vs GP).
And though my body weight was optimal, in the process of readjusting my insulin level I lost 3 kg (this was a side effect not a goal). I still get quite hungry at times, but it is not to the level that I used to feel before, and I can cycle for longer without getting desperately hungry.
I find this fascinating. That simple tweaks can help the body function better and avoid diseases that are non-communicable such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s. I also believe, research confirms, that our body impacts our brain as much as our brain impacts the body.
My challenge now is finding good sources of protein and fats to balance my daily diet. Of my three meals in a day, one is carbs-free and typically the last meal for the day because insulin becomes less sensitive as the day progresses. Less sensitivity means it is not as effective in reducing blood sugar later in the day.
The beauty of functional medicine is that you have choice and control. As you learn and adapt, so do the body and brain. And progress is so easily monitored via the right blood tests. Keeping the brain-body relationship optimal is something that is really holding my attention presently.
Many people are powering through their physical ‘un-wellness’ when it does not have to be this way. The right blood test is the starting point.
Be well!
As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com