Don't Get Sick!
This article discusses the study that showed that the triglyceride and LDL cholesterol ratio of ≥1.1 can predict the development of atherosclerosis.
The CDC reported an increase in childhood obesity in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Longitudinal Trends in Body Mass Index Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Persons Aged 2–19 Years — United States, 2018–2020. Among a cohort of 432,302 persons aged 2–19 years, the rate of body mass index (BMI) increase approximately doubled…
According to the CDC, among U.S. adults, 29% have hypertension, 42.4% are obese, and 10.5% have diabetes. Prediabetes, the condition where the blood sugar is above normal but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes, is present in 88 million Americans or 1 in 3. Hypertension, obesity, and diabetes increase the risk of death…
This article marks the start of a series of articles about skin conditions related to metabolic syndrome (MetS). Many people don’t see a physician. Some of them may be walking around with undiagnosed diabetes. Usually, the first time they get diagnosed is when they are in an emergency room with a critical condition like a…
Hyperinsulinemia means high insulin levels. Persistent high insulin leads to conditions like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. The good news is there is something you can do about it. What is Insulin? Insulin is the primary hormone for fuel storage in the body. After eating, macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are broken down into easily…
The pancreas is an organ inside the abdomen that is located right behind the stomach. It is essential for life as it produces digestive enzymes and hormones. Without the pancreas, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates will be hard to digest. Insulin and glucagon come from the pancreas. In the absence of these hormones, blood sugar control…
Why would someone wean insulin from a Type 2 diabetic (adult-onset)? Isn’t insulin medicine for diabetes? Good question. While insulin may lower blood sugar and prevent immediate problems with very high blood sugar, injected insulin has long-term disadvantages. Insulin Effects Insulin stores fat and increases weight. The American Diabetes Association’s recommendation for diabetics is to lose…
There are different kinds of anemia, but for this article, the word anemia will refer specifically to iron deficiency anemia. And yes, iron deficiency anemia can make your diabetes test inaccurate. How is diabetes monitored? The monitoring of diabetes treatment is done with the blood test called Glycated Hemoglobin or Hemoglobin A1c or HbA1c for…
A report from the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) predicts a shortage of 122,000 physicians by 2032. This shortage will be across the board and affect Primary Care Physicians and ALL specialties. But 2032 is 13 years from now. Why should I care? Diabetes complications and coronary artery disease do not pop out of…
Hair loss can be a sign of a future heart attack. Hair loss affects 50 million men and women in the U.S. The most common pattern is Androgenic Alopecia (AGA). For this article, androgenic alopecia will be referred to as hair loss. Patterns of hair loss differ between men and women. In Male Pattern Hair…
The underlying problem in Type 2 or adult-onset diabetes is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is not routinely tested but can manifest in the skin. Read on to see if someone you know may be at risk for diabetes. Many are unaware that they have the beginnings of Type 2 diabetes. Years before a person is…
This article is to raise awareness about why acne may be a sign of early diabetes. The Teenage Years During the teenage years, the body needs to produce more cells to grow fast. Insulin is necessary to help build-up the body. Insulin stores and uses the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to make more cells. Insulin…
Loose teeth may be periodontitis, and they may have Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Conversely, if someone has poorly controlled diabetes, they may have periodontitis. Periodontal disease is a disease of the mouth caused by germs that weakens the attachment of the tooth to the gums that ultimately leads to loss of teeth. Signs and symptoms…
There is a dose-response relationship between physical activity and length of life. The more and vigorous the movement, the longer the life. That was the topic of Physical Activity Correlates with Life Span. The more powerful the movement, the longer the life. So how does the body do that? How can movement and exercise make…
Is it to lower blood sugar? It is just plain “common sense,” right? The pervading logic of Type 2 diabetes treatment is that since it is an issue of high blood sugar, then the lower the blood sugar, the better is the patient. But is that all? Is there a higher purpose as to why…
This post is a continuation of the article, Can You be Skinny and Obese, wherein we talked about the Metabolically Obese Normal Weight (MONW) individual at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes heart problems. These individuals are Thin-Outside-Fat-Inside hence TOFI. An individual who has a sedentary lifestyle and has a liking for sweets, carbohydrates, and…
The Challenge When John was still a baby, his body organs bragged about who can make John healthy and live the longest. They all agreed on a competition. The brain said, “Since I can think, I can make John live the longest.” Not so said the heart, “I supply the blood, as long as I…
This article is a segment of the series about the diseases associated with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Part 1 describes the top ten causes of deaths that are related to MetS. Shortness of Breath Metabolic Syndrome is associated with reduced lung function and higher chances of deaths from cardiovascular and all other causes. Difficulty breathing at rest and…
What Is Resistance Training? Resistance training is muscle contraction against an external force. Weight training using barbells, weight machines, and bodyweight exercises are all resistance exercises. For this article, we will focus on barbell training and the effect on the different organ systems. Central Nervous System – The Brain Improves cognition and strength. High‐intensity progressive…
Dolor, rubor, tumor, and calor are Latin names for pain, redness, swelling, and warmth respectively. All of them are found in inflammation on the body surface. External Inflammation If a hot liquid spills on your skin. Inflammation follows with some four-letter expletives. A first-degree burn is when the skin surface gets red. A second-degree burn is…
