Today we have Dr. Benjamin Bikman on the Keto Kamp Podcast. Dr. Bikman is a biomedical scientist, professor, and expert on insulin resistance.   Dr. Benjamin Bikman studies diabetes and obesity, and much of what he focuses on is a seemingly obscure condition called insulin resistance. But it’s, in fact, not very obscure at all. Half of all adults in the U.S. have insulin resistance. That means you could have it too, and you don’t know it.   What is insulin resistance? Why did Dr. Benjamin Bikman devote his career to studying something like this? Well, insulin resistance is essentially two things. First of all, some cells in your body aren’t responding very well to the hormone insulin. Second, you have more insulin than you did before, a condition called hyperinsulinemia.   Insulin resistance is at the root of virtually every chronic disease. If we go through the chronic diseases that are killing us today, things like Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and certain cancers, what they all have in common is insulin resistance. To varying degrees, insulin resistance is either causing the problem or making it worse.   In this episode, Dr. Bikman and I talk about what inspired him to dedicate his life to researching insulin resistance. First, Dr. Bikman reveals the correlation between air pollution and diabetes. Plus, Dr. Bikman explains how insulin is related to almost every single chronic disease out there. He also describes what type of things you should be eating if your glucose levels are high and what to eat if you are metabolically flexible. Tune in!   Sign up for the Keto Kamp Academy   [08:45] How Dr. Bikman Chose His Profession Bikman realized he has always been fascinated with how the body was affected by exercise. One day, he saw an article in the newspaper about how fat cells secrete hormones. At the time, we only knew about one protein that was emitted from fat cells. Bikman’s graduate thesis focused on obesity. Then, Dr. Bikman did post-doctoral work on insulin resistance. Currently, he has his own lab at BYU and continues to focus on insulin. “I get paid to be curious.”   [12:50] The Correlation Between Air Pollution and Diabetes The correlational evidence is so keen; it warrants further scrutiny. You can take the smallest particles from diesel exhaust – and one week of rodents inhaling the particles - they’re insulin resistance has doubled. It puts in perspective the heavily industrialized countries like India and China. Plus, they are the countries with the most diabetics. Might part of it be the profound air pollution? Runners should get a mask filter if they are living in a heavily polluted area.   [18:45] Focusing on Insulin    Bikman focuses on insulin because the more he learns about obesity, the more the finger points at insulin. Once Dr. Bikman started teaching a class about disease, the more he realized how insulin is part of almost every chronic disease. Inadvertently, he created an insulin resistance class. After every disease topic, Dr. Bikman puts in a lesson about insulin resistance at the end – it’s involved in almost every disease. Lifestyle is a tremendous part of fixing the problem of insulin.   [24:10] The Ongoing Focus on Glucose Historically, the most common manifestation of diabetes is a high level of glucose. The kidney cannot absorb high levels of glucose, so the person has to urinate a lot. This common feature of diabetes is a consequence of high glucose levels. Today, we know that insulin starts to change decades before the glucose begins to change. By continuing to focus on the glucose, we are focusing on a symptom instead of a root cause. As the person becomes insulin resistance, it’s enough to keep the glucose in check. Eventually, a person stops producing insulin and becomes deficient. Now, the glucose is no longer in check. By focusing on glucose, it’s a wonderful way to sell a lot of insulin.   [27:15] What to Eat if You Are Struggling With Glucose Levels