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Insulin resistance, or syndrome X as it is now called, is the most under-diagnosed disease in the U.S. today. It is estimated that as much as 25% of the population either has, or has symptoms of diabetes. Six and one-half million Americans are being treated for diabetes. Studies indicate that there are an additional 6.5 million adults with undetected type II diabetes, and another 25 million have impaired glucose tolerance that may lead to full blown diabetes. The primary reason for this is that in 1900 the average person consume 2 pounds of sugar a year. By the years 2000, the amount was 200 pounds per year. Simply, our insulin system is breakingdown faster under an impossible workload.

The difference between Insulin Resistance and Type II Diabetes: Insulin Resistance may occur for many decades before Type II Diabetes is diagnosed. With Insulin Resistance, the pancreas is producing too much insulin. With diabetes, the pancreas can no longer produce insulin. If treated early, Insulin Resistance does not eventually become Diabetes and does not require the daily administration of medication to control the disease.

After eating a high glycemic meal, the pancreas releases insulin to take the excess sugar out of the blood. The problem is that insulin has a greater half-life than glucose. So, even after all the recent sugar is whisked away into the muscles and liver (the body can only store about 300 grams of carbohydrates in the muscles and 60-90 grams in the liver), the insulin is still actively taking even more sugar out of the blood stream until blood sugar level plummet. The brain then signals the body to eat foods that will quickly raise blood sugar levels. This translates to a craving for high glycemic index food (sugary, products made with processed flour, starches, and some fruits) and the cycle continues.

After years of repeating the process, the pancreas becomes less efficient, or unable, to release enough insulin into the blood stream to take all the excess sugar out of the bloodstream and carry it to the muscle and other cells in the body.

We've found the very latest treatments for diabetes ' both plant derivatives and pharmacological. Here are just a few of these amazing discoveries. Here is what you should do and shouldn't do. Here's what how the body processes sugar, what happens when the process breaks down and what to do to avoid it and what to do if you already have it.

Tid-Bit: CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) ' the next miracle drug? This fatty acid is found in meat and dairy products. When tested on young rats it has been shown to:

1)Prevent heart attacks
2)Prevent type 2 diabetes
3)Prevent some cancers (breast)
4)Boost the immune system
5)Increases bone mass
6)Breaks down and prevents fat formation
7)Suppresses appetite

Recommended dosage: 4.5 grams, 80% CLA per day. Test results: A test group made up of 149 women and 31 men, lost 9% body fat in on year without changing their eating habits or lifestyle. Food diaries showed that subjects taking CLA consumed 273 fewer calories per day than at the beginning of the study.