Article on Insulin Resistance 2

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/89/6/2526.full

I strongly suggest anyone interested in the topic of Insulin Resistance, whether it be you're recently diagnosed, your child or a family member has it, or you're just purely interested in learning about IR; checks out this article. It's absolutely amazing.

I (surprisingly) understand most of the medical terms used. If you don't, feel free to Google them. But in all honesty, although the article is extremely long, it's completely worth reading if you want to learn about the medical side of IR (aside from the fact that you need to diet and exercise to control it). There is a lot more to it that most people don't realize.

I've been on a research kick lately, and I'm really glad I came across this.

Let me know what you think?

Alright, have a good day. (:

-Ashley.

6 month post-op bloodwork..

Here were all my lab results.. I'm starting to make sure I get a copy of everything (and I mean everything.. even the research stuff.) when I go to these appointments (and appointments with my endocrinologist..)

Everyone (well, all of my doctors) know I have this blog.. and they're usually pretty leniant (is that the word..?) with me.. Haha.

Next time I see my endocrinologist I'm gonig to ask if she can write down, or show me so i can write down, (or just print off the graph there is on the computer..) of my bmi over the years and all these different things they've showed me over the years.. i forgot to ask last time i was there.

But yeah. here it is!! i'm pretty sure if you click on the pictures, you can enlarge it all or zoom in to see clear-er. (: [actually, I just found out you can't zoom.. so i'm going to add links to the pictures below each one.. if you click on it the picture will come up.... and if you click on the picture, it'll zoom and you can read it all.]

http://i39.tinypic.com/2pzk3dy.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/4q1k6u.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2n7nwgw.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/1onn2t.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/349dx4x.jpg

Haha alright.. Yeah. That's about it. Just thought I'd share.. I'm not entirely sure what half of this means... I mean, I have a basic understanding..  (I didn't at first.. I called my mom who is an RN who helped me out.. but what she didn't know, i just googled, or asked my endocrine when I saw her.. lol) But a lot of it is still foreign to me.. obviously.. i've never been to med school or in any advanced science/biology/chemistry classes or anything.. lol.

well yeah. I'm gonna go now. (:

Bye.<3

-Ashley

www.facebook.com/justashley1637

www.twitter.com/ashleyohara_ (don't forget the underscore.. for some reason it wasn't added into the link.. :P but yeah.. the twitter isn't just for this.. its my personal. majority of what i tweet about is music.. but i'll put it anyway.)

feel free to email me at ashleyellen1637@aol.com (I really should actually make an email specifically for this.. but its my personal) if anyone has any questions or concerns or suggestions for/about my blog, or anything related to it... Or just hit me up on facebook. (:

Have a great day. <3

it is possible to be born with insulin resistance

I would also like to point out I had a big question of mine answered today: "Is it possible to be born with insulin resistance...? And could I have been?" Because i showed symptoms at such a young age.. I've always assumed I was born with it.. but no one would ever confirm that for me untill today.. Where my endocrin said "Yes It's possible. and They havent identified a gene yet, but it's possible.."then she went on to ask what my birth weight was.. (8lbs 7oz i believe.. and i was like 21in long..?) and she said "yep.. that's it." my mom went on to ask about why my brothers are fine then.. they were all about the same weight/height.. But it's different for boys and girls.. Girls born that heavy.. aparently thats a tell tale sign of it. especially with such familial history.

So my questions have been answered. Thankyou thankyou thankyou.

If i find a foundation that is researching this.. or if anyone knwos of any that is checking babies for insulin resistance.. early onset obesity.. anything... Let me know.. I will donate as much money as I can to it.. And do as much as i can to support it..

They have made so mmuch progress in the past 8 years... When I was a baby everyone assumed my parents just fed me wrong so i was overweight... But that wasn't the case and everyone that knew my family knew it... And this would explain so much.

Anyone who says obesity is only a lifestyle disease or that insulin resistance isn't real can shove it up their  shut up.. they don't know what they're takling about..

I wont name any names... But a few of my family members assume type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance are the same thing... and have flat out told me when i was younger that i aws only depressed because i was fat, visa versa... and assumed that just working out would fix everything... Because aparently I was just lazy and drugs are overrated.

Yeah. Education is the only cure for ignorance.. Educate yourselves.

Which reminds me. I need to find a new site to do this on, because they are far too expensive for my liking.. I may just start doing them myeslf.. but check out the 'merchandise' tab on the right side of my blogpage... i'm really trying to spread awareness about this. There are like 8 or 9 things there i think.. maybe 10.. that have a design i made on them. Spreading awareness about childhood/adolescent obesity and how it's not always a lifestyle disease. so check it out, and if you can do it, that's great. if not, thats fine. but still. let people know. don't just assume people do. because there is a good chance they don't.

Alright. I shall be researching this more now. <3

Bye. (:;

-ashley.

Bari Wise Protein Cappucino Review!

I'm not a big coffee person.. But these are pretty great... My 13 year old brother likes them too. (when he slugs down 3 dr peppers a day, its surprizing he likes something with only three grams of sugar.)

I don't believe there is any caffeine in them, but the taste is stil there.. and it's one of the vew protein drinks i've found that you can drink, hot, that dont like.. curdle up.

http://www.dietdirect.com/bari-wise-health-hot-cappuccinos.html

I really like bari-wise.. a lot of their stuff is really good. (: Definatley check out diet direct.. the stuff is a little on the pricier side.. if you can get it, i definatley say go for it. I got a lot of stuff free, from a really great lady i met on obesity help when i was a more recent post-op... literally a massive box full of stuff. So i've gone through and tried all of it.. most of it was really good. there were a few things i didn't like so much, but you'll have that with anything.

I've gone back and ordered more of the fruit drinks, cappucinos, and one type of protein bar (which will be next to be reviewed... its amazing.) and there is  a ton more i want to try.

but yeah. if you like coffee, and need protein. this is amazing.. 90 callories, 4 carbs, 2-4 grams of sugar depending on the type (i've only tried the original.. i'm sure the others are great too) and 15 grams of protein...

(:

have a great day.

-ashley
www.twitter.com/justashley1637
www.facebook.com/justashley1637

Blood Sugar Test Results

Alright. I'm pretty sure if you click on it, you can zoom in if you can't read the notes.. My handwriting isn't the best. Sorry :x haha.

So... Yeah. Summary: I was messed up,hadn't taken my metformin in 10 days.. The day beforeistarted it back up, i recorded my blood sugar (day 1... 2-13-12on the list.)... and then started it back up the next day.. then for the next 6 days i took my blood sugar,making sure i took my metformin and logged it.. Here are my averages:

Average fasting blood sugar: 81.

Average 2hr after lunch blood sugar: 92

Average 2hr after dinner blood sugar: 87

I found a paper that my endocrinologist gave me at my last appt.. in september i believe. She wanted me to keep it between 70&140.. it only went over 100 once. so I'm really happy. (: I don't think my blood sugars have ever been this great.

I love you Chewbacca<3

Alright. bye(:

-ashley

www.twitter.com/justashley1637

www.justashley1637.tumblr.com

www.youtube.com/justashley1637

www.youtube.com/aeo1637

ashleyellen1637@aol.com 

Logging!

A lot of people log things.. Their food/fluid intake, exersize, blood sugars, insulin (when diabetic) ... I've never been good at it. Ever. When I was really little my mom would do it for me.. Like.. when i was 7.. But i've never been good at iton my own. I'm good at just keeping track in my head.. I can look back and remmeber everything I"ve eaten/drank.. and add it all together... I've been doing this all so long.. i'm almost 100% accurate on eye-balling portion sizes (although i still measure to make sure, majority of the time.) I just stopped attempting to log things.. Because i'd do it for a day.. then sto pfor a week.. do it for half aday, for 3 days, then not do it again for a few days.. It wasn't helpfull at all. and more frustrating than anything..

But this past weeki've been REALLY off.. not remembering half of my meds.. (i seriously have slept maybe a total of 12 hours... the past week.)... I've had a lot going on... It wuoldn't seem like a lotto most people.. But itsa long story.. ANYWAYS. i realized I havent taken my metformin (or any of my meds, for that matter..)thsi week... normally i'm realllllyyyy good with my meds.. I don't typically havea problemremembering them. it's become a habit for me.. But this has just been a messedup week..

I've been out of test strips for my blood sugar for a few months.. I just got some yesterday.. So i thought i'd take it..  i had just eaten.. figured it would bea ltitle high... no glucophauge(metformin), for a week.. and your blood sugar naturally goes up after you eat, right..? even in a totally healthy person..  well.. it was like 80.... .andi took it again later on.. and it was 78... -- uhm...? My blood sugars have never been... like... that great.. i've kept them controlled most my life.. without much of a problem (for which i'm grateful) but that.. without metformin? i was honestly amazed.. I've been on metformin/glucophauge since i as9 years old...

and for whatever reason this motivated me to start logging my blood sugars.. (get back on track with my meds, obviously..)
but i set a goal for myself.. to take my blood sugar fasting, 2 hours after lunch, and 2hours after dinner.. and see where i'm at.. just because this interests me. Now Itypically eat 4 (obviously pretty small) meals a day.. up to 60grams of protein total, sometimes more, and i keep the carbs under 45-50grams a day...  so i take it 2 hours after the first meal and 2hours after the last meal... and log it. I'll probably post my numbers on facebook each day.. because this is really.. id on't know. interesting i guess.. to me. to see what my levels are at. the first day i did (today) no glucophauge.. then the rest of the days i'm taking my glucophauge getting back into it..

(I'm not recommending stopping your medications, at all. This was honestly a mistake.. But i figured.. I'll take advantage of it, instead of sit there mad at myself for messing up so badly.)

then obviously i'll keep taking my meds.. like i'm supposed to. :P

But yeah..

So. the point of this post, is i'm going to try logging just for one week.. my blood sugars anyway. I've tried logging food. i just am not able to do it for more than 2 days without givng up.. its too much of a hassle for me.. I can tell you what i ate all day today.. no problem..:

Breakfast: 1/2 yoplait light blueberry yogurt, and a piece of string cheese.
Lunch: half of a chicken cheese quesadilla, and some milk..
Lunch #2: The other half of the chicken cheese quesadilla, and 2 small pieces of a peach.
Dinner: 5 small shrimp(with a little bit of coctail sauce) and a piece of string cheese.

Fluids: eh.. about 60oz.. made up of diluted diet pepsi, sugar free pink lemonade, orange flavored crystal light, and skim milk..

^^^^^. see? (: I made absolutely none of that up, either.

Butttt yeah. Just thought I'd put that out there. (:

but i did draw up two charts.. a food/intake log, and a blood sugar log.. the blood sugar log isn't exact to the one i'm using now, but it's pretty close.. you can use them as a guide to make you rown, if you want to try logging.. or just print them off. if you print off the picture, (just right click it, and click print picture, i believe..) it should show up when you print it, a full page.. the pictures look better enlarged.

Blood Sugar Log:

(i just scanned the drawing.. i didn't have the patience to try and do it on microsoft excel or whatever the name of the program isthat you can make graphs on.. sorry. :P haha.)

Food/Intake Log:

(I always hate when doctors would give me charts to try and fill out, that there was never enough room to write everything down.. ever. I'm not very good at writing super small.. so i tried to make this one have more space.. its basically for a week. 7 days. You kill more trees this way, but it's also easier to write.. and keep track of, i think.. anyway.. :P)

so.. there we go. (: I hope this helped some.. Have a great day!

-ashley.

www.twitter.com/justashley1637

www.facebook.com/justashley1637

ashleyellen1637@aol.com

Ps: Feel free to email me, or comment on this, or write on my page on facebook! i'd love to talk to anyone who keeps up with my blog.. If anyone ever has any questions or concerns, or suggestions on things i should blog about... let me know! (:

Metabolic Syndrome Signs and Symptoms.

Here is a page with all of the technical terms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolic_syndrome

There are a lot of things that can.... be involved, in metabolic syndrome. Insulin Resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, hypothyroidism, hypertension, other messed up hormogne levels,.. Theres a lot that can be involved.. They're all listed on that page.. and if you google 'Metabolic Syndrome' or any of its other names, more information will come up.

I was born with Insulin Resistance, but later on developed PCOS, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes..

PCOS - Polycystic ovarian syndrome. Irregular menstrual cycles, possbly cysts on your ovaries, messed up hormogne levels... All men and women have male and female hormognes... men just have less estrogen than testosterone,woman have less testosterone than estrogen, etc..there are a fewother hormognes involved.. It wasn't testosterone, but.. androgens? it started with an A.. i think that's it... but its another male hormogne,and mine was high..

Hypothyroidism - an under-active thyroid gland.. meaning not enough hormognes areproduced and you can gain weight, have hair loss, low metabolism, not much energy..

Hypertension - high blood pressure.

Insulin Resistance & Type 2 Diabetes - self explanatory... if you don't know what either are... i'll do a post on that later... or just look it up online.

A lot of the symptoms for all of these, are similar.. which is partially why if you have more than 2 or 3 it can be combined into just 'metabolic syndrome'.. I was actually tested for cushings syndrome.. which also has similar symptoms.. I ended up not having it, but that's how they found my higher androgen levels. But my doctor called it 'Pseudo-Cushings' because again, it has all the symptoms... here are symptoms at are associated with a lot of those:

Self explanatory..  the oily or really dry skin and acne from messed up hormogne levels.

Acanthosis*** Nigricans is a really long name for something i can't spell or pronounce without google.. it basically means darker leather-y-feeling skin.. It used to be a lot worse. it has lightened up sincei've startedlosing weight. Some people have iton their chest and under their arms, too.. I have itunder my arms, aswell.

Hirsutism is another word i always forget how to spell.. but it basically means on females, hair where there normally isn't very much.. or male hair patterns.. thanks to elevated male hormogne levels. Tip: if you have this.. don't shave. seriously. don't. it will come back darker and rougher and you won't be able to go a day without stubble coming back.. i use nair or sally hansen cream hair remover, or bleach.. i purpously didn't for a week or so so icould take these pictures.

Central obesity.. meaning.. most of your weight is in your stomach/sides/hips/chest, rather than evenly distributed thorughout your arms and legs.. all of these pictures are me after i had surgery.. but you can still tell.. i don't have many pictures of me at my highest weight, where you can REALLY see it.. but some people are really thin, or even, or apear shapewhere most of your weight is in your hips/thighs.. but not with metabolic sydrome, or most ofthe things assosciated with it.. think of an apple shape.

lots of reddish purple stretchmarks around your abdomen/thighs/chest.. i got my first stretchmarks on my thighs around the time i was 9.. now you can't even see them, 7 years later.. haha. a lot of the oneson my back, sides, and stomach are fading.. they used to be a lot bright.. these all have came over the past 2 years.. i never used to have any on my stomach.. /: i miss those days.. lol.

and the last one that i actually have pictures of...

Everyone loses 100 hairs a day, according to the person who cuts my hair... well.. i lose way more than that. /: i have for the past 2 years.. there is a ton ofre-growth that sticks up and comes in.. all the hair that is pulled down there in the front in the picture, is regrowth.. the rest of my hair is all really long.. itspatchy. and extremely annoying. alot of times weight loss causes it.. but i'm fairly sure its my hormogne levels.. it's been going on for years..  i guess the stress on my body from surgery could be adding to it. but thankfully it's not as bad as it used to be.. if it was.. i think i'd be bald :x lol.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so yeah.. that's that. along with low energy levels, irregular menstrual cycles for girls, uhm... obviously the messed up blood sugars, high blood pressure (or low blood pressure.. i've heard of that with some people.)

I'm sure theres numerous others.. but these are all of the ones i've had, or i've seen with people I know.

If you have 2 or more of these, i'd suggest going toa doctor.. just to be sure.

Have a nice day. (:

-Ashley.
www.facebook.com/justashley1637
www.twitter.com/justashley1637
ashleyellen1637@aol.com

Oh, and... HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! (:  its 10:20pm here in ohio right now.. but close enough, right? (:

Dietary Guidelines for people with Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes.

My entire life I battled with Insulin Resistance.. In June 2011 I found out it had progressed to Type 2 Diabetes, and in August I had the VSG (Verticle Sleeve Gastrectomy) and since then it hasn't been too much of a struggle to control my blood sugars, as it was before.

But For fifteen years of my life.. Controlling my blood sugars, my weight, my blood pressure,all that... Was a daily part of my life.

I guess I thought I had tried every diet possible.. But I missed one big one.. High Protein. I realized this after I started going to my montly appointments pre-op at the Hospital where I had my surgery.. Why hadn't anyone ever told me about this? Or why didn't any of my past doctors reccomend it?

The endocrinologist i'm seeing now, well, thefirst appointment i ever had with her she sent the referral for weight loss surgery.. we never really discussed it. Although a dietitian there gave me a 'carb counters' book.. which honestly really helped meout.. i beleive its calorieking.com you can get one.

But yeah. So pre-op i was on a high protein-lowcarb diet.. like i am now, post op. And I can honestly tellyou, i feel so much better. I have so much more energy.. Its insane. 

I've come to realize how wrong the food pyarmid is for so many people.. Sure, if you have a ridiculously high metabolism you can handle 6-12 servings of grains/carbs a day.. but the average person? no. absolutely not. especially not someone with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes..

So I figured I could modify the diet i'm on now.. if i had neverhad surgery? just be on a similar diet.. and i'd still see weight loss.. I had a 30 pound weight loss pre-surgery.. because i changed to this diet (and I was on a lot of medications that got changed.. that helped too.)

So here is what I was doing before I considered surgery:
**Not eating enough, causing my body to go into 'Starvation Mode'.
**Not enough protein, when I did eat.
**Not many vitamins.
**I was exersizing, however, because I was in 'Starvation Mode' it did absolutely nothing. I actually gained weight.
**Not enough fluids.

What I followed most of my life:
**45 carbs and sugars for a meal..
**15 for a snack..
**eat a vegetable and fruit with every meal, and no more than 2 snacks a day..
**only 2 'sweet treats' a week.. meaning a scoop of icecream or 2 or 3 cookies one night.. 
**1 hour of aerobics 5 days a week, aside from all the sports i already played.

Now?
**60+ grams of protein a day..
**64+oz of water/sf  liquids..
**I try to keep my carbs under 50 a day.
**Protein first. Eat all protein, then vegetables, then carbs last.
**I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago at the gym.. for awhile i was just wakling 10-20 minutes each day.. then i got my gym membership and sprained my ankle.. but i plan to go to the gym 40 minutes 3-4 days a week.. and walk 10-20 minutes the other days.

So.. I figure.. Why wouldn't a modified version of what I'm doing now, work for someone else who just has more of astomach than I do?

If your looking for anew diet to try.. maybe try something along the lines ofwhat i'm doing? Hers an idea of what I'm talking about"
**60-80+ grams of protein a day.
**64+ Sugar Free Fluids. (Water, SF Jello, SF popsicles, Crystal Light, Flavored Water, Diet Soda, etc..)
**4-5 small meals a day, rather than 3 big ones.. maybe keep carbs under 40 at each meal..? give or take alittle.
**It's okay to have something sweet once in awhile, a few times a week.. Just make sure you eat protein with it.. If you're going tohave a donut, or a cookie, or a piece of candy.. Have milk, or yogurt, or apiece of string cheese with it.. The sugar will hook onto the protein, and your blood sugar will not rise as much as it would without the protein.. Make sense?

So an ideal dinner: Maybe.. 6oz grilled chicken, a small side salad, and maybe half a cup of rice or pasta or something, and a glass of skim milk or water..  Eat chicken first, then salad, then if your not full, have some of the rice or whatever carb you choose to have with it.. or fruit even, before the carbs.

I did this for a few months before Surgery.. and I lost weight. Given, the higher dose of Metformin, starting Aldactone, and synthroid probably had something to do with it.. (Side Note: I'm off the aldactone andon half of the metformin i used to be on, now...) I think it helped. especially eating more frequetly rather than less.. My body didn't feel the need to cling onto every ounce of me, because i wasn't eating enough.. because i was eating more frequently..

I hope this makes sense.. I'm writing this out pretty quick.

I'll probably expand on this further, later on.This is just a quick post.. It came to mind when i was eating chipotle earlier today.. Haha. (:

Have a great day/night. (:

<3Ashley.

www.facebook.com/justashley1637
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ashleyellen1637@aol.com
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(: