This post is the first in what I hope will be a long series that will bring together a good collection of vocabulary that will provide further understanding on endocrinology for the layman, an overview of EF and evolutionary living principles whether it’s regarding fitness, diet, psychology, or any other branch of science seen through the lense of evolutionary biology.
I would like to encourge readers to comment regarding other paleo or medical sites, or any other sites, that would round out the particular word or concept in question. I hope that over time what is created is a good knowledge depository that brings together the best of what’s out there in the paleo community along with what’s available on the web. I believe that as you read this collection you will have an enhanced understanding of evolutionary living, and may actually only have to look up every other word in Good Calories, Bad Calories. Over time as you become familiar with the concepts connected to this vocabulary, they may act as sign posts to lead you to your kairos moment when you find the trail marker. So here we go.
Insulin:
Insulin is a hormone that has extensive effects on metabolism and other body functions, such as vascular compliance. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and stopping use of fat as an energy source. When insulin is absent (or low), glucose is not taken up by body cells, and the body begins to use fat as an energy source, for example, by transfer of lipids from adipose tissueto the liver for mobilization as an energy source. As its level is a central metabolic control mechanism, its status is also used as a control signal to other body systems (such as amino acid uptake by body cells). It has several other anabolic effects throughout the body. When control of insulin levels fails, diabetes mellitus results.
Great animation about the pancreas.
Great animation about insulin.
Ok, so now we have the basics down about insulin, here’s a great post from Mark’s Daily Apple to put this into context:
What Happens to Your Body When… You Carb Binge?
Yes, insulin, the hormone that will come up a bit more in discussions to come. 