This pump has some really interesting features. It consumes about 30 to 40% of the energy delivered to the cell. But if this pump fails, like in our house, when the pump failed, we had about a foot of water in the basement. If the pump in your body fails, you'll have a lot of fluid that doesn't end up in the cells; it ends up outside them, which is called interstitial fluid retention.
Glycation and blood sugar levels
In fact, your lower ankles are where your blood sugar levels get too high. All of this sugar is attached to a protein in the blood called hemoglobin. What happens when this sugar attaches to a protein in the blood is called glycation. This is the term used in the context of the A1C test, which measures the amount of sugar attached to blood protein and gives an average over about three months, as red blood cells have a lifespan of about three months.
Once sugar sticks to a blood protein, it doesn't detach; it remains there permanently until the blood cell dies. Therefore, as you consume more sugar, more sugar sticks to that protein until it can no longer function. This phenomenon is named after protein glycosylation. The main conclusion is that by consuming sugar, you destroy the blood cell's ability to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the body. This glycosylated protein molecule blocks circulation, leading to a lack of blood flow and a pooling of blood in the lower body, causing swelling.
The role of sodium and potassium
This also damages the inside of the arteries and causes leaks to the outside of the cells. Fluid that should be in the vessels can now leak out. Another phenomenon that occurs when you consume a lot of sugar is sodium retention. Not to mention that another mineral, potassium, becomes trapped in the sugar. Wherever sodium goes, water goes. Over time, this affects the nerves in the soles of the feet, leading to numbness and tingling, known as peripheral neuropathy.
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So, when we look at someone with diabetes, we see a lot of fluid in their ankles, but even people who don't have diabetes or prediabetes but are moving towards that also have fluid retention.
Essential nutrients to correct swelling
There's a very important vitamin that corrects this condition, but there are two other minerals that must be obtained from food. The most obvious is potassium. The problem with potassium is that it's not easy to get from food because we need so much of it. The average person needs 4,700 milligrams. Think about what that means: eating one banana is about 300 milligrams. How many times does 300 milligrams fit into 4,700? You'd have to eat 15.6 bananas a day to get enough potassium, but that's difficult and it's high in sugar.
Instead, it would be better to eat avocados, more salads, and even more fruits like berries. You can get plenty of potassium from these sources. The second mineral is potassium.
Magnesium is responsible for something called ATP, the body's energy source. Yes, you'll experience cramps if you have magnesium deficiencies, but you'll also experience energy depletion.
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