Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Kidney stones are small clumps of minerals in the urinary tract that cause great pain. There are some simple steps that can cut your risk of developing a kidney stone in half but for some, it’s not so easy. Here’s what you need to know.
Potassium is extremely important for blood pressure control and for the body’s alkaline balance. Yet research is lacking especially in reference to the effects of many minerals on blood pressure.
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In Episode 2 of Living A Healthy Life with Diabetes, I am going to break down the difference between being a prediabetic and having metabolic syndrome. The two generally go hand-in-hand, but it can oftentimes lead to confusion.
What does it mean to be prediabetic?
Prediabetes is when your insulin resistance is beginning to gain momentum. We’re talking about the pancreas, about beta cells that play such a critical role in releasing insulin in order to regulate elevations in blood glucose.
When someone has prediabetes, what they are seeing is those first stages of insulin resistance really starting to rev up. When it comes to testing, you are generally going to find things such as an elevated fasting glucose. This usually means that you’ve fasted for eight hours, ideally 10-12 hours.
Your doctor may also see elevations in hemoglobin A1C – the rate of glycation in the hemoglobin. This level is usually above a 5.7 and goes up to 6.4. Generally, doctors would like your level to be below a 5, but a realistic number is also 5.5 or 5.3. Once you get above the mid-level 5, that is when your doctor will be concerned.
Prediabetes, simply put, means your body is not doing as well to regulate your blood sugar.
For more information on Diabetes, be sure to check out Episode 9 and Part 1 of Amanda Williams Diabetes series by clicking here.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is definable by a few different things. Not only is there a clear insulin resistance occurring, we are also dealing with visceral obesity or an increase in the waist circumference in the abdominal belly region. In conjunction, your cholesterol will also be impacted, specifically an elevation in triglycerides. You may also experience endothelial dysfunction – stiffing of the lining of your blood vessels – which leads to high blood pressure.
The World Health Organization first defined metabolic syndrome back in 1998. Metabolic syndrome does not make you a diabetic, but it’s borderline.
Essential Nutrients To Get Your Body (And Health) Back On Track
It is important to understand that you must be proactive and take steps to counteract both prediabetes and metabolic syndrome. Individuals who follow the Standard American Diet go way off track because you are not obtaining the proper nutrients that the body needs in order to manage or mitigate the negative implications of having elevated glucose and a delayed insulin response.
Fifty to seventy-five percent of Americans have a Magnesium deficiency. Research from the University of North Carolina sets that percentage closer to 75%, as only 12% of Americans are considered to be metabolically healthy. This is extremely sad and – no pun intended – is accredited to the Standard American Diet (SAD), which is incredibly low in magnesium. This has been shown to be directly correlated with Type 2 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, vascular disease and more.
Researchers from Tufts University Department of Endocrinology published a study in the journal Diabetes Care – which was highlighted by the American Diabetes Association – that drew a conclusion between Vitamin D supplementation and the impact it has on blood glucose and markers for inflammation in the body. Participants in the study with low levels of Vitamin D were given a Vitamin D supplement every day and found significant improvements in markers for inflammation, hemoglobin A1C levels, and fasting glucose.
Benfotiamine is a unique fat soluble B1 vitamin whose goal in your body is to activate an enzyme that helps to convert toxic glucose into harmless compounds so the body can easily get rid of it. One of the long term effects of being a prediabetic, having metabolic syndrome or actually having diabetes is Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). These are created when a sugar molecule attaches to something in the body like your blood vessels or nerves. This is damaging, as AGEs change the structure and function of so many different things in the human body – deactivating enzymes, disrupting cell signaling, destroying cellular DNA and creating inflammation and more. If we can incorporate Benfotiamine into our routine, it has been shown to block that sugar-induced damage. This is why it is such a powerful B vitamin.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. Stay tuned for Part 3 of Amanda’s Diabetes series, which will be released tomorrow – Friday, January 31.You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
Photo by Zohre Nemati on Unsplash If you’ve done everything to try to get or stay asleep (from ditching the electronics, to taking melatonin or trying to exercise to tire your body out), we’ve got news for you! You may be deficient in Magnesium. What …
Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, making it one of your body’s most important nutrients. But did you know that up to 70% of Americans are Magnesium deficient, according to the CDC’s NHANES? Here’s what you need to know. What …
Hormones are the chemical messengers in your body that carry messages between your cells and organs, and control most of your bodily functions, from basic needs like hunger to complex systems like reproduction. They are created in the endocrine glands, like your pancreas, thyroid, adrenals, and ovaries. These, and many more glands, work together in your body in order to create and manage the body’s major hormones. While they play different roles, hormones are important to protect and manage your overall health and wellness.
You know many of the most commonly mentioned hormones. For women, estrogen is the main sex hormone. In men, testosterone is the main sex hormone. For stress, it is cortisol that assists the body in stress response. And melatonin is what alerts your body that it needs sleep. When your hormones are properly balanced, your body and health thrive. But when hormone levels are too high or too low, hormone imbalances can occur. For example, if a male is experiencing low testosterone levels, he may feel depressed, lethargic, and have a deflated libido.
Women may naturally experience periods of hormone imbalance due to puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, birth and menopause. Men may experience these periods due to puberty and aging.
Here are the common symptoms of hormonal imbalances:
Sometimes you need additional support for your body to function at its best. Supplements can be an excellent addition to your diet. In this case, there are a few nutrients and vitamins that can help combat your hormone balances.
B-Complex vitamins are comprised of all of the essential water-soluble vitamins that work together to regulate every function of your mood and cognition, including your memory, anxiety, depression, and stress and play a huge role in the detoxification process. Benefits of B-Vitamins include –
Magnesium is a crucial mineral your body needs in order to maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels already within normal range. It also assists in regulation of a healthy heart rhythm. Magnesium is among the top five most abundant minerals in the body, assisting in over 300 chemical processes, including a well-fortified immune system, bone health, cardiovascular health, and neurological health. It is an essential nutrient, which means it is not created naturally in the body, so it must be consumed through food or supplements to maintain proper levels.”
Magnesium affects your pituitary health, and without it, you produce less of the critical hormones that signal other glands in the endocrine system to perform at the best. Low levels can even cause irregular ovulation and thyroid disfunction.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that make up the microbiome in your gut and digestive tract and are the key to good health, especially for digestion and regularity. Levels of probiotics decrease with age and can also be affected by other factors, including a poor diet and obesity. As levels of probiotics decrease, problematic bacteria in the gut thrive, which can lead to digestive problems like gas and bloating.”
There is a specific group of gut bacteria called the estrobolome that produces an enzyme that supports the metabolization of estrogen which, scientists suspect, connects your hormones to your gut.
It has been estimated that approximately 70% of North Americans have Vitamin D deficiencies. This is due to a combination of factors, including low levels of sunlight, obesity and low consumption of foods high in Vitamin D like fatty fish. Inadequate levels of Vitamin D in the body often lead to problems with bone health, including muscle pain, enlarged joints and easily fractured bones.”
Many studies have also linked infertility issues with vitamin D3 deficiency.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in foods like fish and flaxseed and in supplements like fish oil. The two main omega-3 fatty acids are EPA and DHA. These fatty acids are important for memory functions, a good mood, stress relief, sleep/wake cycles, and the integrity of the structure of the brain. Fish oils have also been shown to support heart health and circulation, and to provide support for blood pressure already within a normal range.”
Omega-3s have been shown in studies to be essential for mood stabilization and reducing cramps.