I've was diagnosed a diabetic in 2015 although I see that my morning blood sugar back when I first started tracking it in 2002 was higher than it is today. Since diabetes was common in my family, it thought it would be wise to start measuring it early but I really had no idea about it. I've learned since that diabetes runs in families because diets run in families and often for generations. Diabetes is the condition of having Glycated Hemoglobin (aka HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c) of ≥6.5% and the Canadian Diabetes Association Guidelines define HbA1c for diabetes:
- <5.5 % Normal
- 5.5% - 5.9 % At risk
- 6.0% - 6.4 % Prediabetes
- ≥6.5 % Diabetes
However, elevated blood sugar (serum glucose) is only one part of Metabolic Syndrome and the International Diabetes Federation 2006 consensus worldwide definition of metabolic syndrome is:
- Central obesity (defined as BMI is >30 kg/m² or a ethnicity-specific waist circumference)
AND any two of the following:
- Raised triglycerides: > 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L), or specific treatment for this lipid abnormality
- Reduced HDL cholesterol: < 40 mg/dL (1.03 mmol/L) in males, < 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) in females, or specific treatment for this lipid abnormality
- Raised blood pressure (BP): systolic BP > 130 or diastolic BP >85 mm Hg, or treatment of previously diagnosed hypertension
- Raised fasting plasma glucose (FPG): >100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Dr Sarah Hallberg’s Ted talk first got me seriously thinking about reversing diabetes in 2018. Dr Hallberg runs a diabetes reversal clinic at Indiana University Health - Arnett through Virta Health. As I learned more about metabolic metabolic health, I realized that this wasn't all that hard to do and for a variety of reasons, the health system is geared towards chronic disease treatment rather than prevention.
- Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines | Sarah Hallberg | TEDxPurdueU
- Dr. Sarah Hallberg - Type 2 Diabetes Reversal - Dr Hallberg’s seminar to doctors
- Dr. Paul Mason - 'Evidence based keto: How to lose weight and reverse diabetes'
- Dr Robert Lustig - What is Metabolic Syndrome Anyway?
DISCLAIMER: My background is engineering and what I have written here is from my personal interest in staying healthy. If you disagree with any of it, let know what you feel is inaccurate and include some references so I can make corrections. This is a work in progress so check back often for updates as I continue to learn. CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE MAKING DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES.
