I know I’ve covered this ad nauseam in previous posts, but it’s important enough to stress again. It doesn’t matter if you have or have not been diagnosed with diabetes. A large chunk of the US population (likely >60%) are prediabetic or diabetic. So what’s the difference between the two?
Nothing as far as your blood vessels (and that means your heart and brain) are concerned. I wish we’d get rid of the term “diabetes” and just tell patients if they are headed towards better or worse glucose control. That’s all that matters.
I would have to say that approximately ZERO percent of my patients who are prediabetic truly understand just how dangerous this physiological state is. Some may never become diabetic because they will die of a heart attack or stroke first. The others will acquire the diabetic label and then die of a heart attack or stroke (unless they are the lucky few that get kidney failure or Alzheimer’s instead).
Stop thinking you’re ok just because your blood sugar has not passed that magical number. If you have abdominal obesity, elevated cholesterol or triglycerides, decreased HDL, high blood pressure, PCOS, menstrual irregularity, sleep apnea, elevated liver enzymes….the list can be quite long…you’re likely prediabetic and at the same risk as a diabetic.
We really, really, really need to bring the general public up to speed on just how dangerous the prediabetic state. Mainstream medicine has failed miserably in this task. This is also the optimal time to intervene with healthier lifestyles. Of course, the REAL optimal time is before you ever have any problems so that your never develop the problems…
