When we discuss metabolism in relationship to aging, the Metabolic Theory of Aging is that the faster your metabolism, the shorter your lifespan. Many of the factors which influence this theory are in relationship to the energy produced by the significant energy supplier during stress, our friend sugar!
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is when the body has too much sugar (glucose) circulating in the bloodstream. Over 37 million people, or 11.3% of the U.S. population has diabetes, and 96 million—33% of the U.S. population has prediabetes.
Hyperglycemia is a serious medical issue because it can lead to other health problems like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Symptoms include extreme thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, and sores that do not heal quickly. If left untreated, it can lead to coma or even death.
Pre-diabetes and diabetes together encompass over 40% of the U.S. adult population, but even if your blood sugar is slightly elevated, you are more prone to health issues like heart disease or stroke than adults with optimum blood sugar levels. If you feel baffled by the measures that must be taken to regulate your glucose levels or have already attempted everything possible without success, rest assured – you are part of a large group. Data indicates that almost 10% of all Americans (roughly 34.2 million people) struggle with high blood sugar daily.
There are many causes of high blood sugar. Over time, your body responds less effectively to processed carbohydrates and refined sugars until it can no longer tolerate them. This creates insulin resistance, which will worsen if you continue consuming these foods. Some common reasons for developing hyperglycemia include:
To have the best chance of successfully managing your blood sugar levels, lifestyle changes must be made. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and monitoring your glucose levels daily.
As longevity specialists, we know that maintaining a normal blood sugar level is the goal. We take an evidence-based method to get to the cause of elevated blood sugars. Treating only what’s on the surface will not solve anything regarding high blood sugar levels; this is merely an indication and not its origin. Our proactive and personalized approach addresses whatever lies behind uncontrollable high insulin rates for long-term health benefits.
Genetics, aging, and race can all contribute to increased blood sugar and insulin resistance response. Still, the most noteworthy influence to high blood sugar lies in your daily lifestyle – what you eat, how much sleep you get, stress level management, and physical activity routine – perhaps more vital than anything else is the state of health of bacteria living within our gut (the microbiome).
When these components grow out of balance, your body attempts to fix the issue by releasing more insulin. This can overwhelm and desensitize your cells regarding “insulin requests.” Soon enough, too much sugar accumulates in your bloodstream, traveling through every part of you and causing broad destruction.
However, the good news is that insulin resistance can absolutely be rectified! With the right precision medicine program and complementary therapies, it’s possible to influence these modifiable lifestyle factors positively.
Hyperglycemia can be caused by more than just food; it is crucial to consider the overall lifestyle and its influence on blood sugar levels. It is also essential to consider possible environmental contributors, such as emotional stress or a lack of physical activity.
Ultimately, the amount of success in managing your metabolism is contingent upon a combination of patient lifestyle and treatment methodology. Conventionally-trained medical professionals typically resort to “name, blame, and tame” practices when dealing with such issues. In other words, they attempt to identify the root cause by analyzing symptoms and results from lab tests; attribute those findings as the source for current conditions; before proposing typical medications meant to alleviate any associated ailments.
After a physician reviews the patient’s hemoglobin A1C levels and confirms an elevated reading, they may prescribe medicine to address it. But what are they achieving? Are you genuinely getting better as a result of this?
The conventional method of treating high blood sugar is to prescribe a “pill for pocket” approach that can further add to the risk of obesity and inflammation. As an alternative, science supports utilizing dietary & lifestyle modifications, hormone therapy, and improving your gut bacteria to manage high blood sugar levels.
To foster maximum metabolic wellness and longevity, our providers utilize clinical-grade nutraceuticals that are doctor-developed and pure-blended to compensate for any nutritional inadequacies. Every step is taken with you in mind; throughout your treatment plan, we will actively involve you in all decisions. This includes establishing blood glucose levels between 70 to 85 mg/dL and achieving a hemoglobin A1c of less than 5%.
But to effectively treat high blood sugars, we first need to understand where your body’s at today through advanced testing.
Our comprehensive method of Advanced Testing for Metabolic Changes:
There is more to lowering high blood sugar besides eating well and exercising regularly. It is looking at you as a whole person — body, mind, and soul — to determine WHAT to eat, WHY you should exercise, and HOW to optimize other factors, such as hormones, to help you recover.
There are many therapies that our providers keep in their toolboxes. The critical thing to remember is that you — as a unique individual — may undergo a different treatment plan than someone else. Your provider will determine which therapy is right after thoroughly reviewing your test results.
Our comprehensive Solutions for Metabolic Changes:
Detoxification is an essential but often misunderstood and misconstrued process. Despite popular belief associated with trendy "detox" drinks that promise quick results without lasting impact, the real power behind detox stems from making small lifestyle changes to help your body flush out unnecessary toxins for improved health and well-being over time.
As you reach a certain age, the transition to menopause or the experience of going through menopause can be overwhelming.
Men need testosterone to remain strong, powerful and energized, and testosterone also helps to reduce your risk of developing chronic illnesses.
Our metabolism is a complex and intricate system, and it helps us break down food, extract energy, and store and use it for everyday activities.
As we age, it can become increasingly challenging to stay in shape. Our bodies start to shift, and we may find ourselves struggling more than ever before. Extra weight brings down your self-esteem and saps the energy out of you, not to mention that it has a detrimental effect on your sex life - even worse than smoking!
We value fact over opinion. Please refer to our FAQs for the most commonly asked questions. In addition, we have listed the medical references for the facts stated on the website.
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Metabolic theories of aging postulate that aging is due to energy expenditure, which ultimately results in the breakdown and eventual death of cells.
Some of the most common symptoms of high blood sugar include dry mouth, chronic thirst, constant hunger, frequent urination, dry and itchy skin, difficulty concentrating, excessive abdominal fat gain, daily fatigue, blurry vision, slow healing of wounds, male impotence, nerve problems, and stomach problems.
People at the highest risk for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) are people who have a family history of type 2 diabetes, African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, or Asian Americans, or if you are overweight.
Insulin resistance is when the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver no longer respond to insulin commands because they have been exposed to high insulin levels for too long. This overexposure causes the cells to take down the insulin receptors. At this point, the cell cannot use glucose from your blood for energy. To overcome this resistance, the pancreas makes even more insulin. Over time, your blood sugar levels go up. Insulin resistance is often found in overweight people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Although needed to create energy for the cell, sugar is a sticky substance that glues itself to the cells and tissues. This sticky substance causes friction in the body, and this friction brings about inflammation. Inflammation is a strong signal for cells to repair, but when inflammation becomes chronic, it leads to chronic diseases.
As blood sugar can be high in many people without symptoms, it is always important to check this every year. For those people who have a family history of diabetes, are overweight, have symptoms of high blood sugar, or have a heritage that is prone to high blood sugar, early is never early enough!