Category
Blood Sugar Disorders
Postprandial Somnolence: Why a “Food Coma” Happens
What causes a food coma? Read on for a deep dive into the reasons for postprandial somnolence and what to do about it.
How Hyperglycemia Drives Gut Barrier Dysfunction and Dysbiosis
Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome have long been associated with gut barrier dysfunction and an altered gut microbiota composition. Now, a new study suggests that hyperglycemia itself might be to blame. Read on to learn what the researchers found and what implications this has for restoring gut health.
What Really Causes Oxidative Damage?
Oxidative damage is a crucial factor in the development of chronic diseases. To prevent and reverse chronic disease in our patients, we must address the underlying causes of oxidative damage. Read on to learn what causes oxidative damage and how dietary and lifestyle interventions can inhibit the progression of this harmful physiological process.
The Link between Diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease
The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States has risen exponentially over the past two decades. A growing body of research indicates that Alzheimer’s is closely linked to diabetes and suggests that the correction of blood sugar dysregulation may represent a crucial step in the prevention and treatment of this devastating disease. Read on to learn about the link between Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes and how you can help your patients protect their brain health through diet and lifestyle strategies that improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity.
The Link between Insecticides and Diabetes
Statistics from the EPA indicate that more than one billion pounds of insecticides are used per year in the United States in agricultural, lawn, garden, and home applications. (1) Alarmingly, emerging research indicates that our overzealous use of insecticides may be contributing to rising rates of diabetes. Read on to learn about the link between insecticides and diabetes and how avoiding these toxins can help protect your metabolic health.
Does Iron Overload Cause Diabetes and Heart Disease?
Iron plays an essential role in many physiological processes, including oxygen transport and mitochondrial energy production. However, more iron is not necessarily better! The overaccumulation of iron in the body, a condition referred to as iron overload, has been implicated in the development of several chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. Read on to learn why iron overload promotes the development of diabetes and heart disease and how iron reduction strategies can be used to beneficially alter the course of these diseases.
Rebooting the System: The Benefits of a Fasting Mimicking Diet
While fasting has many health benefits, prolonged calorie restriction can take a toll on patients, both physically and mentally. Diets that mimic the physiological benefits of fasting without the burden of food restriction may be a good alternative. Read on to learn more about fasting mimicking diets, their health benefits, and which patients are likely to benefit most from them.
What Causes Elevated LDL Particle Number?
In the last article in this series, I explained that LDL particle number (LDL-P) is a much more accurate predictor of cardiovascular disease risk than either LDL or total cholesterol. In this article, I’m going to briefly outline the five primary causes of elevated LDL-P.
RHR: Is it Possible to Prevent (or Reverse) Type 1 Diabetes?
In autoimmune diabetes (type 1), the body attacks insulin-producing cells — or even insulin itself in some cases — which then leads to insulin deficiency. That’s why people with type 1 diabetes or type 1.5 diabetes end up needing to take insulin. However, if you intervene early enough, you may be able to arrest the progression from just the mere production of antibodies to the destruction of that tissue that the antibodies are tagging. There is a lot of research that suggests that autoimmunity is triggered or exacerbated by a whole bunch of different factors, like intestinal permeability and poor nutrition, lack of exercise, inadequate stress management, lack of sleep or poor quality sleep, and environmental toxins.
When “Normal” Blood Sugar Isn’t Normal (Part 2)
In the last article I explained the three primary markers we use to track blood sugar: fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hemoglobin A1c (A1c). We also looked at what the medical establishment considers as normal for these markers. In this article, we’re going to look at just how “normal” those normal levels are – according to the scientific literature. We’ll also consider which of these three markers is most important in preventing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
When “Normal” Blood Sugar Isn’t Normal (Part 1)
In the next two articles we’re going to discuss the concept of “normal” blood sugar. I say concept and put normal in quotation marks because what passes for normal in mainstream medicine turns out to be anything but normal if optimal health and function are what you’re interested in.
Why Hemoglobin A1c Is Not a Reliable Marker
Over the last few years doctors are increasingly relying on a test called hemoglobin A1c to screen for insulin resistance and diabetes. It’s more practical (and significantly cheaper) than post-meal glucose testing, and it’s less likely to be skewed by day-to-day changes than fasting blood glucose. While this sounds good in theory, the reality is not so black and white. The main problem is that there is actually a wide variation in how long red blood cells survive in different people.