Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is crucial for a vibrant life. There is a long list of conditions that can be traced back to high blood sugar as a cause — high blood pressure, depression, autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, weight gain, digestive issues, insomnia, chronic fatigue, cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, and the king of blood sugar issues, diabetes.
People with diabetes are at 50% higher risk of early death than those without.
Stages of Blood Sugar Dysregulation
Insulin Resistance
In the US, it’s very easy to eat a diet that’s high in carbohydrates. These foods are cheap, tasty and easy to find. Did you know that sugar alters your brain circuitry in a way very similar to cocaine? All carbohydrates, even the so-called good carbs, will become glucose (sugar). When we consume high amounts of carbs as a habit, our body begins to try to predict how much insulin it needs to produce to move that sugar into the cells, and it will begin to overproduce it. Over time, the constant presence of insulin in the bloodstream causes the insulin receptors on the cells to malfunction and become resistant. Now glucose can’t get into the cells and is floating around in the bloodstream looking for a home. The body wants the glucose out of the bloodstream, so it converts it into fat by producing triglycerides. Keep this up and you’re well on your way to diabetes.
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Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is the gap between healthy blood sugar levels and a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Again, diabetes doesn’t show up out of the blue. It’s a result of the progression from insulin resistance to pre-diabetes to full blown diabetes. If you pay any attention at all to the messages your body gives you (fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, digestive issues, etc.), you can reverse the progress before it becomes a more serious problem. It’s never too late to improve your health, so why wait any longer and put more wear and tear on your body from the inflammation caused by high blood sugar?
Diabetes
Typically, three tests are used to confirm the diagnosis of diabetes – fasting glucose (blood sugar), triglycerides and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The first two tests are a snapshot of recent events. Glucose can change dramatically based on what you had for dinner the night before. Triglycerides assess how you break down carbs, and levels over about 100 mg/dl indicate a higher consumption. HbA1c gives an average of your blood sugar levels over a 3 month period by measuring the amount of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin. Pre-diabetes = 5.7%-6.4% and Diabetes = 6.5% or higher. When you receive a diagnosis of diabetes, it’s time to decide what you want the rest of your life to look like. Are you willing to make some changes to feel better or would you prefer to stay medicated and keep adding to the list of symptoms?
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is defined as a group of five conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and stroke, in addition to a host of other health issues. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, someone has three or more of the following:
- – High blood sugar/glucose
- – High triglycerides
- – Low HDL cholesterol
- – High blood pressure
- – Large waistline
It’s Never Too Late to Make a Difference
Diabetes doesn’t happen overnight, and while you may think that you’re destined to have Type 2 diabetes, because it’s common in your family, there are ways to minimize your risk and reverse disease by modifying your behavior. It’s not that hard!
By prioritizing your wellbeing, you can break the cycle and pass along healthier habits to your children and your children’s children, while increasing the odds of vitality throughout your golden years.
If you’re ready to help your body help itself heal so you can enjoy a long and vital life, reach out to Wiser Health.