The Heart Health Danger Hiding in Plain Sight

Could you be one of the millions of American women who have prediabetes -but have no idea 

Prediabetes is not a disease the way pneumonia or cancer is ; it is more like a big ,flashing red warning that you are headed in the wrong direction ."It is a sign you may develop type 2 diabetes in the future ,"says experts .

As a long time health journalist ,I know having full blown type 2 diabetes is no joke :the condition can double a person's risk of dying of heart disease, the number one killer of American women .It is also linked to many cancers ,and if left untreated ,to nerve and kidney damage and vision problems.

But prediabetes can be harmful ,too ."Even at the prediabetic stage ,there is an increased risk for  heart disease and stroke .In fact prediabetes alone increase your risk of heart disease by 10 per cent according to experts.

Prediabetes is easy to diadnose by a simple blood test called the A1C ,which measures how much of your hemoglobin -a red blood cell protein -has sugar attached to it .(Below 5.7 per cent is normal ,and anything between that and 6.4 is considered prediabetic ; 6.5 and above earns you a diabetes diagnosis .

Yet even though a nearly third -29 per cent -of American women ,are prediabetic , almost 90 per cent of them don't know it ,according to the Centres for Disease Control and prevention (CDC ).

one of the biggest concerns with having too much sugar circulating in your blood is that it may trigger chronic inflammation that in turn is associated with everything from from heart attack and cancer to Alzheimer's .The purpose of the sugar in your blood is to be moved into your body cells as fuel -it's really not supposed to be just hanging around in there ,"says experts.It also triggers your body to pump out extra insulin in an effort to process the blood sugar.Excess insulin causes even more inflammation ,and the whole process taxes the pancreas over time.

WHAT"S IS YOUR RISK ?

SUNNY SEA GOLD WRITES -

Once I researched the risk factors for prediabetes ,the fact that I had it wasn't all that surprising .Having a baby who weighed more than nine pounds at birth -check .

Family members with diabetes -check.

BMI (Body Mass Index )over 25 -check  and mate .

Although I could not change my genetics or the size of my adorably  chubby baby , I knew that my habits play a role .I had lost my grip on my formerly healthy intuitive -eating style and regular exercise routine since my daughter was born in 2014 .What is more the stress of being self -employed and having two kids had triggered some old emotional overeating habits ,and I had put on a lot of weight .

But here is the thing : while not exercising and a poor diet increase your risk of prediabetes , someone who seems pretty healthy -has a BMI in the "normal range ",does not smoke or eat junk food all the time -can get it too says experts .

"Ethnicity, for example , is an independent risk factor for prediabetes .Native Americans ,Latinos ,African Americans , and Asian Americans are all at a higher risk of developing prediabetes than others ,"says experts .

Other things that boosts your risk :polycystic ovary syndrome ,and a large waist size .

BEATING THE TREND 

"The most  effective way to prevent or 'reverse ' prediabetes is with better dietary choices and exercise ,"says experts .

"Even modest aerobic exercise ,like brisk walking ,improves insulin sensitivity and reduces fat stores deposited in the belly area ,both of which help prevent diabetes."

The Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of diabetes ,and some specific foods ,such as nuts berries ,whole grains ,and yoghurt ,seem to have protective benefits ,says experts .

Off course ,diet and exercise are great for you even if you don't lose weight .But the experts say- weight does matter for  diabetes and prediabetes risk .If you are significantly overweight ,studies show losing as little as 5 per cent to seven per cent of your body weight ,can have an impact .

Because those with a history of binge- eating disorder and over- exercising ,anything that smacks of "dieting "won't work for  them .Resent research has found that people who have built up to 10,000 daily steps over 5 yrs improved their insulin sensitivity .

Your effors shall pay you ,your A1C also improve listen to yr diabetologist .Love yr self ,shall come out of it -prediabetes.

Reference Material :Health (January/february issue Volume 32 ,Number 1 ,Health Media Ventures Inc ,225 Liberty Street ,New York)
,NY 10281 -1008