Why Blood Sugar Matters (Even if you don't have Diabetes)
We've all heard how important it is for those with Diabetes Mellitus to check their blood sugars frequently. But how often are (conventional) doctors recommending you get your blood sugar tested?
Unfortunately in the modern practice of medicine, most doctors fail in the prevention department. I have had countless patients tell me their PCP told them, "There is nothing wrong with you. You're as healthy as can be. We'll see you next year." Mind you, some of these are patients who are on 5+ medications and/or have cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, and/or blood pressure out of normal limits. But not always! Some of these people have normal lab tests but poor quality of life (I'll explain if you keep reading).
I recently saw a new patient who said that her medical doctor would not check her blood glucose when she requested it, telling her it was unnecessary.
She happened to have a coworker with Type I Diabetes who recognized some symptoms my patient was experiencing :
Coworker: "Have you ever had your blood glucose tested?"
Patient: "No, my doctor wouldn't check it"
Coworker: uses clean lancet and test strip to check patient's blood glucose.
Patient: Blood glucose monitor reads 400+.
It turns out this patient had developed Type II Diabetes but her doctor failed to inform her (or check for) of her chronically elevated blood sugar.
Thankfully, these people choose not to believe their doctors and seek out practitioners who they know would dig a little deeper to identify the root cause of their health problems (with my colleagues and I at Cascade Integrative Medicine).
Do you want to wait until you have Diabetes to know if you need to make a change?
What if your body was sending you messages all along and you didn't even realize it?
Short Term Symptoms
Sugar and carb cravings
Feeling “hangry” often
Fatigue
Brain fog
Mood swings and irritability
Acne/Rashes
PMS
Painful Periods
Unrestful sleep
Susceptibility to colds and flus
These are the “whispers” to listen for when your body is communicating that your blood sugar could be better regulated. If you don’t listen, you might find your body will begin to “scream” until you do.
Long Term Symptoms
Anemia
Depression/Anxiety
Cystic Acne, Eczema, or Psoriasis
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and/or infertility
Insomnia
Adrenal insufficiency/Dysfunction
Neuropathy
Type 2 Diabetes (Gestational Diabetes if pregnant)
High blood pressure
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
The majority of people I work with experience some or many of these short and long term symptoms. Are you noticing if you do too? You're not alone. Many of the short term symptoms are considered "subclinical"- meaning there's not a regularly performed blood test that your doctor can order to confirm and then treat your problem. But that’s the beauty of the human body, it will communicate with you far sooner than when there’s a “real” problem, you just have to be listening! Even if you may be experiencing subclinical blood sugar dysregulation, I highly recommend addressing it far before it becomes clinical. Schedule with me to get started!
