WHO IS PRE-DIABETIC?
A
study from Sweden shows that many people discover that they are diabetic only
after they have had a heart attack.
Researchers recorded
blood sugar levels in men who had had heart attacks and then did sugar tolerance
tests at discharge and three months later. They found that 40 percent had
impaired sugar tolerance tests three months later. This suggests that 40 percent
of people who have heart attacks are diabetic, even though they may not know it.
The authors recommend that all people with heart attacks be tested for diabetes
(1).
You can tell if you are
at high risk for diabetes if you store fat primarily in your belly. Pinch your
belly; if you can pinch an inch, you are at increased risk and should get a
blood test called HBA1C. Having high blood levels of triglycerides and low
levels of the good HDL cholesterol that helps prevent heart attacks also
increases your risk for diabetes. When you eat sugar or flour, your blood sugar
rises too high. This causes your pancreas to release insulin that converts sugar
to triglycerides, which are poured into your bloodstream. Then the good HDL
cholesterol tries to remove triglycerides by carrying them back into the liver,
so having high blood levels of triglycerides and low blood levels of the good
HDL cholesterol are both individual risk factors for diabetes.
High blood levels of
insulin constrict arteries to raise blood pressure, so many people who have high
blood pressure are also prediabetic. High insulin levels also constrict the
arteries leading to your heart to cause heart attacks directly. People with
insulin resistance have an increase in small, dense, low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) cholesterol, which is more likely to cause heart attacks than the large,
buoyant regular LDL cholesterol. High levels of insulin also cause clotting to
increase your risk for heart attacks. You can help to prevent diabetes and heart
attacks by avoiding sugar and flour, exercising and eating lots of vegetables.
1) Lancet 2002; 359:
2140-44. 2) Current concepts in insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus,
and the metabolic syndrome. American Journal of Cardiology, 2002, Vol 90, Iss
5A, Suppl. S, pp 19G-26G. JEB Reusch. Denver Vet Adm Med Ctr, 1055 Clairmont St,
M-C 111 H, Denver,CO 80220 USA. 3) A rational approach to pathogenesis and
treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, inflammation, and
atherosclerosis. American Journal of Cardiology, 2002, Vol 90, Iss 5A, Suppl. S,
pp 27G-33G. P Dandona, A Aljada. Dandona P, WNY, Diabet Endocrinol Ctr, 3 Gates
Circle, Buffalo,NY 14209 USA. 4) Rationale for and role of thiazolidinediones in
type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Cardiology, 2002, Vol 90, Iss 5A,
Suppl. S, pp 34G-41G. HE Lebovitz. SUNY Hlth Sci Ctr, Dept Med, Div Endocrinol,
450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn,NY 11203 USA. 5) Pathogenesis of skeletal muscle
insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Cardiology,
2002, Vol 90, Iss 5A, Suppl. S, pp 11G-18G. KF Petersen, GI Shulman. Shulman GI,
Yale Univ, Sch Med, Howard Hughes Med Inst, Gen Clin Res Ctr, Dept Internal Med,
Dept Cellular & Mol Physiol, 295 Congress Ave, BCMM 254C, New Haven,CT 06510
USA
Past Articles
Back to
The Herbal Connection Home
| Home Products Business Opportunity Subscribe to Newsletter Exchange Sites Mission Statment Return Policy Testimonials Weeklly Newsletter |
The incomes presented are applicable to the individuals depicted and are not a guarantee of your income, nor are they typical. A typical participant in the Herbalife plan earns approximately $711.00 based on the year 2003. For detailed earnings information please visit www.herbalife.com/ca