A standard chemistry reports our glucose levels, but if we rely on this alone, it is not enough to tell the story. We must have a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and a fasting insulin level, as the HbA1c reflects where your sugars have averaged over 3 months.
Why is this so important?
In America currently 79 million people are pre diabetic, and 26 million are diabetic. Collectively this represents 105 million people with a sugar disorder, and we have approximately 300 million people in our country. The profundity of this fact, and the fall out of high sugars in the blood stream are directly related to significant increased rates of cardiovascular disease (Still the # 1 killer), cancers, Alzheimer's disease and other vascular disorders that cost you either the loss of life or the quality of it, that you were born to maintain.
The real truth is while we have all been taught to watch our cholesterol levels, and everyone has bought into this as the end all do all to prevent disease of our cardiovascular system, it is our sugars and inflammation that take center stage, not cholesterol that we need to put our focus on.
The science supporting this statement is actually overwhelming, but the pharmaceutical companies choose to continue to push statin drugs over this science because the cash cow it has produced is so amazing that until an equally profitable drug for sugar and inflammation can replace it, it's here to stay. I know this is a painful reality, but you can't look away from the truth!
So how do I know if my inflammation markers are up?
We all know when we have a painful swollen joint. It's red, hot and it hurts. That's not the inflammation I'm referring to. It is a chronic low grade inflammation that resides in your blood vessels and body that causes all the havoc over time.
There are 2 primary biomarkers we can assess easily on a blood test.
One is called C-reactive protein or CRP, the other is called Cardio CRP or sensitive CRP.
CRP alone is a general inflammation marker for your whole body; Cardio CRP is specific to inflammation in your blood vessels. If your cardio CRP is elevated, your risk of stroke or a heart attack is greatly increased.
While there are many factors that influence CRP's, a primary driver is insulin resistance or elevated sugars! This biomarker when elevated can actually cause the plaque in your blood vessels to break loose and throw a clot. So when you actually look at the mechanism behind this part of your physiology, you begin to understand its importance.
How do I know if these biomarkers are okay and if I'm healthy?
-One of the best ways to remain healthy is to take an interest and become more proactive about your health.
-Make sure to ask your doctor to run these critical tests I have outlined for you, if he or she has not already done so.
-If you want a second opinion or interpretation, call me and I will be happy to read these tests for you.
Exercise and maintaining a healthy weight is still and will always be the elephant in the room. No pill, potion or lotion can ever take its place, despite your hopes for science to save you from a fundamental of life.-
If you want a second opinion or interpretation, call me and I will be happy to read these tests for you.
As we age, without exercise our body composition changes. We lose muscle mass, and its replaced with fatty tissue. This is without weight gain, so if you add weight gain to this equation, your body composition starts taking on a whole new picture, and it's not favorable! Over time this equates to a dreaded state we observe in many of our aging parents or the elderly, and if we could put one word to best describe it, it could be best stated as frailty.