Prediabetes is a diagnosis given to the individuals whose blood sugar levels are higher than normal but have not fully met the diagnostic criteria for Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM type 2).  At this stage, the patient's fasting blood glucose level is still within normal limits.  Most of the patients with prediabetes are diagnosed by an elevated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is a simple blood test.

It is important to understand that prediabetes and most of the DM type 2 diagnoses are more than just a "sugar" problem.  What else is going on here?

Prediabetes raises a red flag for the abnormalities in human body metabolism and energy processing, which may involve the endocrine, neuro-endocrine system, cardiovascular system and digestive system alone or in combination.  As part of a holistic primary care approach, it is important to examine the additional factors that may be involved. Among different individuals, the leading cause may vary.  But the common theme in many of the cases has to do with aging and genetic-environmental interactions.

When we talk about aging, in addition to the common understanding of "wear and tear" on the body, there is a problem that has become noteworthy in recent years. Sometimes, what we see happening is:

Luke Perry’s death was shocking even for people who did not know him, but for death to occur at the age of 52 from stroke is tragic.

Those over age 65 are at most risk for stroke, but surprisingly, 10% of all strokes occur in people under the age of 45. It is important for people of all ages to get annual check ups with a knowledgeable integrative or functional medicine physician, so that a good prevention plan can be implemented.

Most of us are aware that strokes are caused by disruption of the blood flow to different parts of the brain. This can occur by a blood clot forming in an artery in the brain or a clot that has traveled from somewhere else, usually the heart, lodging on one of the brain arteries, but the worst and most deadly strokes occur due to hemorrhage or blood leaking out of a brain vessel.

Many Causes for Stroke

Chronic inflammation can play a major role in the development and progression of disease. If the cause of inflammation is not identified and treated properly it can have deleterious effects on the body in general and can lead to premature aging. A functional medicine approach is to identify the root cause of inflammation so it can be treated accordingly.

The first step in addressing chronic inflammation is that your physician must make sure that you are not suffering from CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome), as CIRS treatment is entirely different from inflammation due to other causes.

What is Inflammation?

Chlorella is the near-perfect food for natural detoxification. 

Chlorella is a single cell algae, grown in fresh water, and has been around since ancient times. Chlorella is a natural chelator, meaning it has the ability to bind and remove heavy metals from the body.  It is helpful as a food-based green drink for detoxing heavy metals (such as mercury, lead, cadmium), toxic chemicals, mold, Lyme and other toxins from the body. Chlorella also has a high protein content, is rich in vitamins and minerals and is a good source of essential amino acids, which help to promote health.

What Makes Chlorella a Superfood 

Electrosmog is the electromagnetic radiation and electromagnetic frequencies that are emitted from cell phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, wireless devices, wireless baby monitors, electricity, cell towers, high power lines etc. that are ever present and increasing in our technological world.

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) pose possible human health risks and the effects of chronic exposure may not be known for years. Some people are more sensitive to electrosmog than others, and women seem to be more affected than men, although we do not know why. More research and studies need to be done, but the World Health Organization (WHO) reported as far back as 2005 that “For some time a number of individuals have reported a variety of health problems that they relate to exposure to EMF. “ 1

Steps can be taken to minimize exposure to electrosmog in adults and children, while still living within the internet-connected world.  It may be especially important to reduce exposure for children as their brains grow and develop, and for pregnant women, but we should all be aware of the possible risks of long term exposure and do what we can to protect ourselves.

What You Should Know about Electrosmog and EMF

I trust you are familiar with Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, which has had a tremendous impact on people’s spiritual lives and understanding around the world. From what I understand, from having read, not that book, but a different book by Tolle, the main concept is that we need to be focused on the present moment, because that is what we have.

The past is a memory, the future is a dream, and the present is a gift, that’s why we call it a present.*  We cannot change the past, and the only way to improve the future is by focusing on who we are being in the present moment, and what we are thinking, believing, and doing right now. 

When I work with clients, I often delve into experiences in their past with them, in order to help them in the present and future. Recently, a new client asked me, “But if we focus on the past, won’t that reduce the power of now?”

What a great question!

Metabolic Cardiology  is a fairly new branch of Functional Medicine. Metabolic cardiology is a non-invasive, simple, integrative medical approach which addresses the prevention, management, treatment and monitoring of cardiovascular disease at the core basic level- which is the heart muscle cell. Functional medicine physicians are always concerned with addressing health issues at the root of the problem.

The goal here is to improve and preserve heart health at the cellular level of the individual heart cell through organic interventions that are natural to the human body. Diseased heart muscles are energy-source depleted or lacking the natural cell fuel, known as  adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is formed and recycled on the cellular metabolic level, and supplies all the energy required for every cell, organ, system and body function. ATP is so critical for energy production that it is known as the “energy currency” for life.

There are four supplements that play a major role in supporting a healthy ATP-efficient heart cell:

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, or CIRS, was originally described as Water Damaged Building Illness. CIRS is an illness which exhibits multiple systems and occurs when one is exposed to unhealthy indoor air.

More research revealed that CIRS is  a genetic predilection to a myriad of abnormal systemic inflammatory responses that  results when an individual does not have the immune response genes to eliminate neurotoxins produced by their exposure to mold, bacteria, or viruses as well as fungal infection. CIRS affects multiple systems in the body, causing patients to exhibit numerous symptoms which are very difficult to pinpoint and the patient in most cases goes undiagnosed for a long time.

Interesting to note, but not to the suffering patient, is that they may also acquire new food allergies and allergies to medications and other agents.

Symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)

Natural killer cells are a type of lymphocyte, or white blood cell, that is an important component of our immune system. Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in immune defense against cancer, viral infection and intracellular bacterial/parasitic infection.  They help protect us by patrolling the body and blood, identifying diseased or foreign cells and attacking them while also helping the immune system to rid the body of these cells. T-lymphocytes, defined as CD8 negative and CD57 positive, is a subset of the natural killer cell population found in peripheral blood.  This cell group has matured to obtain a higher capacity to eliminate the mutated cells, such as the precursor cells for cancer and cancer cells.  Measuring the amount of CD8-/CD57+ cells by testing a blood sample may serve as a monitoring tool and a treatment target during cancer supportive care  and prevention. 

NK Cells On the Front Line of the Immune System

Hormones work together like a beautifully choreographed dance. 

The thyroid hormones, the adrenal hormones and the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) need to be in balance with each other for optimal functioning.  Treating a sluggish thyroid is going to be more difficult if you have adrenal fatigue.  If you think your moodiness is from your estrogen being out of balance you may be right but there is likely more to it. 

For effective treatment and thyroid, adrenal and hormone correction, think of the hormones as the points on an equilateral triangle.  If you shift one, they all shift.  That is why it is essential to monitor all the hormones, not just some of them.  There are differing opinions on what is the most effective way to measure hormones- is it with blood, saliva, or urine?  There is something to be said for consistency, and I like to use the same testing method each time to watch the change and fine-tune the treatment.

Symptoms of a Hormone Imbalance