The Truth About Pre-Diabetes and How Common It Is
Many of us think we live somewhat healthy enough to avoid the risks of developing diabetes. However, our modern food culture and sedentary lifestyles do not allow us to take proper care of our bodies. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 86 million people have prediabetes (also referred to as early diabetes). This is equivalent to 1 in every 3rd American with the gap quickly decreasing to every other person by 2030.
Many people live with early diabetes for many years without realizing it since they do not experience obvious symptoms. Some may develop dark, thin skin patches on their neck, knees, knuckles, armpits, and elbows, and/or a little extra abdominal fats — all signs of early diabetes.
Although there are various factors which can easily lead to the development of early diabetes, there is insufficient awareness regarding how the impact of our daily lifestyle affects our health. In fact, an estimated 90% of people with early diabetes are simply unaware they have it.
What is Insulin Resistance (also called early diabetes)?
When the glucose (a.k.a., sugar) is detected in the blood, the pancreas will release insulin. Insulin will bind to glucose and deliver the glucose to all of the organs which need the glucose for energy. The problem is when the production of glucose in the blood excesses the body’s cells demand for glucose, the cells will resist the effects of insulin. The insulin will bind to the blood glucose but has no home to go to.
The pancreas must also keep pumping out more insulin to keep up with the continued demand of excess blood sugar. Eventually, the pancreas becomes tired and can no longer keep up with the high insulin demand. At this point, the insulin level in the bloodstream begins to decrease causing the blood sugar to no longer be adequately delivered to the body’s cells for energy. As blood sugar begins to increase to toxic levels, the blood vessels become damaged and cause a high level of inflammation. All of the body's organs now become damaged.
Prediabetes is when the body’s cells become resistant to the effects of insulin. Diabetes is when the pancreas can no longer keep up with the high insulin demand and hence, leads to blood sugar levels reaching toxic levels. Once diabetes has been diagnosed, major damage has already occurred to the blood vessels and all of the body’s organs. The risk of having a heart attack, stroke, cancer, dementia, liver and kidney failure are extremely high.
Insulin resistance (aka., prediabetes) is linked to skin problems (i.e., acne, eczema), fatty liver disease, hormone disorders, infertility, kidney damage, obesity, and blindness.
How To Prevent The Onset of Diabetes
Early diabetes is preventable in most cases. It typically takes 3 to 7 years from the time a person is diagnosed with early diabetes to progress to moderate type 2 diabetes.
Here are a few simple lifestyle tips which can dramatically help:
Apple cider vinegar, cinnamon extract, and foods high in fiber or chromium, have been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. You can drink apple cider vinegar in water (2 tsp in 8 ounces of water) or use it frequently as a salad dressing.
Eating foods that are high in fiber throughout the day helps balance blood sugar levels. You should aim to get at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day from fresh vegetables, whole grains (not wheat or white rice; buckwheat, barley, quinoa, brown rice), seeds, avocados, and beans (i.e., split peas, lentils, chickpeas, black beans). Move away from animal protein, fish, caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, and processed ready-made foods filled with additives and GMO crops (e.g., wheat, corn, soy, rice).
Chronic sleep problems cause you to have imbalanced energy levels, and can out bodies less effective at using insulin. Sufficient quality sleep is critical because it helps the body repair from the our everyday stressors, and directly affects our daily eating and exercise habits. 8 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night is recommended for all adults.
Our modern culture has made it more normal to have a sedentary lifestyle. However, we all need at least one hour of physical activity every day. You don’t need to necessarily start going to the gym and committing to a strict regimen. Start integrating more activity into your life and get your body accustomed to moving around throughout the day. For example, try dancing while you're around the house. Put music on while you sweep the floors or cook dinner. Getting into the habit of going for walks is a very practical goal that can make a big difference on your health. You can also try playing a sport or joining an exercise class. Start with one step and make a practical goal that you can maintain before you move onto the next.
How To Know If You Have Diabetes
Although there are generally no symptoms for prediabetes, there are factors that increase your likelihood of having diabetes. If you are over 40, overweight, have a family history of diabetes, or lead a sedentary lifestyle, you should consult with a doctor and get your bloodwork checked (i.e., cholesterol panel, blood sugar levels). If you are diagnosed with prediabetes, it is important to get on the right eating plan, become physically active, and stop smoking and drinking. Otherwise, your body will keep aging prematurely and allowing serious chronic diseases associated with diabetes to set in.
An estimated 3 out of 4 people with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes. If you have been more thirsty or tired than usual, experiencing blurred vision, brain fog, or frequent urination, you may prediabetes that is now progressing into diabetes.
Be Proactive: How To Treat Pre-Diabetes
As with any chronic illness, prediabetes requires personalized treatment to best understand its underlying culprit(s). Diabetes can be remarkably improved and even reversed through aggressive lifestyle counseling focused on nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress management. If you would like to learn more about how to reverse your pre-diabetes or optimize your diabetes, contact Dr. Payal Bhandari, M.D.. Dr. Bhandari is an integrative functional medicine physician who specializes in chronic illness. She will define a personalized treatment which targets how to effectively lessen your insulin resistance and many of its associated health complications.
AUTHOR
Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. is one of U.S.'s top leading integrative functional medical physicians and the founder of SF Advanced Health. She combines the best in Eastern and Western Medicine to understand the root causes of diseases and provide patients with personalized treatment plans that quickly deliver effective results. Dr. Bhandari specializes in cell function to understand how the whole body works. Dr. Bhandari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1997 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 2001 from West Virginia University. She the completed her Family Medicine residency in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts and joined a family medicine practice in 2005 which was eventually nationally recognized as San Francisco’s 1st patient-centered medical home. To learn more, go to www.sfadvancedhealth.com.