Functional Medicine & Wellness

Having The Right Glucose Metabolism Goals

The majority of people are familiar with the term glucose. They’ve heard it spoken at doctor’s visits or during a TV commercial for a medication. The real question is, what percentage of the general population recognizes the critical role glucose plays in your overall health and well being? How many people think to monitor their glucose levels and just as important — take those numbers seriously. 

At Omnia Health, glucose metabolism is one of our main focuses. If your glucose metabolism is not up to par, you can expect to experience one (or more) of the following symptoms:

  • Feeling tired and lethargic
  • Feeling like you are not quite yourself
  • Gaining weight more easily

 

In addition to these unpleasant experiences, you are setting yourself up for developing diabetes down the road and putting yourself at a higher risk for cancer, obesity, depression, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. It is a known fact that is not talked about enough. 

According to a 2022 stat, one person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.

Source: cdc.gov

We are typically not believers in using scare tactics, but we do take great pride in being realists. For this reason, the experienced team members of Omnia Health don’t beat around the bush. We are committed to providing every patient with practical and effective solutions to the problems at hand. Some of which they may not even know exist. 

Know Your Numbers. Count Your Blessings. 

Diabetes is the culprit behind causing and accelerating all of the horrible, chronic illnesses previously mentioned. And that’s reason enough to know your glucose numbers! No more delays or excuses. Your health cannot be put on hold. And you can’t take it for granted. Maintain a sense of gratitude and optimism as you commit to treating your body with the love and respect it deserves. 

It all starts with having an understanding of where you are in the process of getting and maintaining a healthy glucose level. This knowledge can be the difference between a great metabolism and an impaired one. There are so many factors worth considering.

  • Genetics
  • Amount of exercise
  • Microbiomes
  • Nutrient status
  • Hormone levels i.e. estrogen and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

 

So many variables can be the driving force behind a glucose metabolism issue. So the first thing you need to know is your fasting glucose level. When you go to see your primary care physician, they should be checking your fasting glucose numbers. This is when you haven’t eaten for 10 to 12 hours and have only drank water. When they take a blood sample, your number needs to be 85 or lower.  

Debunking Fasting Glucose Myths

If your primary care physician gets a number of 102 and says that’s fine — it’s not! In fact, it’s not normal and it’s certainly not healthy. Things like not getting a good night’s sleep the evening before or going for a run within 24 hours of having the blood test may explain some abnormal numbers. It may, in fact, turn out not to be a metabolic issue. But it is worth looking into and should spark some investigation. 

Follow Up With Fasting Insulin

In addition to fasting glucose levels, you need to know your fasting insulin levels. This is a test most physicians don’t bother to check, so it may take some self advocacy on your part. Unfortunately, this is a skillset that must be refined in today’s healthcare industry.

For your own knowledge, here’s a basic breakdown of the correlation between fasting glucose and fasting insulin. 

Step 1. Our glucose levels increase when we eat carbs and when our liver produces glucose as well. 

Step 2. Our pancreas then releases insulin and those levels increase. 

Step 3. When everything is working right, both the glucose and insulin levels should naturally decrease. 

The insulin is supposed to open our cells, acting like a lock that is opened by the glucose the lower those levels. If that doesn’t happen, the insulin levels continue to rise along with the glucose — setting us up for inflammation, oxidative stress and chronic diseases.  

Of the 37.3 million adults with diabetes, 28.7 million were diagnosed, and 8.5 million were undiagnosed.

Source: diabetes.org

Your blood insulin levels really need to be at 6 and below. Some people even recommend 4 and below. If you are looking to travel down the path of proactive and functional healthcare, two main levels that need to be accounted for are fasting glucose and fasting insulin. Understanding metabolic health is pivotal to preventing chronic diseases. 

The Glucose Metabolism Takeaway

Having a healthy glucose metabolism matters. A lot. If your fasting glucose and fasting insulin numbers are not optimal, then a low carb diet (even keto) can help to resolve the issue. It comes down to making a commitment to avoid sugars and carbs while making the most of the health benefits packed into omega 3s and good fats. See our recent post to learn how fat can feed into leading a healthier lifestyle. 

For more actionable knowledge on how to live your best life, follow us on Instagram or Facebook {omniahealthcolorado} or join our newsletter. Numbers don’t lie. The benefits of working with Omnia Health add up to optimal results. All you have to do is make the call

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