Diabetes and Heart Health

Diabetic Heart Disease – Heart disease that develops in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes.

When it comes to diabetes, there is an increased risk of heart disease by about four times. That is an increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.

When diabetes is present:

- There is an increased risk of heart disease even without symptoms such as high cholesterol
- There are additional causes of heart disease
- Heart disease events will occur at an earlier age

Diabetes effects some substances found in the blood and changes their chemical makeup and then this leads to a narrowing of the blood vessels as well as causing them to clog up completely

By the time there is a diabetes diagnosis it is usually the case that pre-diabetes has actually been present for at least 10 years. Then by the time of actual diagnosis the risk of developing heart disease is extremely high.

What is it that increases the risk of heart disease?

High blood pressure

- When diabetes is present there is also usually high blood pressure. Studies have shown that high blood pressure and insulin resistance are connected therefore when both diabetes and hypertension are present the risk of heart disease doubles.

High blood pressure is an area that I work with alot using herbal medicine

Cholesterol

- Often when diabetes is diagnoses there is also high cholesterol and is usually seen as high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, and high triglycerides. This triple threat combined with diabetes can lead to premature heart disease. Cholesterol disorders are often connected with insulin resistance, it even has a name atherogenic dyslipidaemia.

Obesity

- By itself obesity is high risk factor for heart disease and it is also strongly connected with insulin resistance. Both obesity and insulin resistance are also connected with high blood pressure.

What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes – is when blood glucose levels are high but not high enough to be officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There are usually no signs or symptoms. However, you are still at a greater risk of developing heart disease.

There are some indicators that pre-diabetes may be present:

- Darkened skin on parts of the body, usually neck, armpits, elbows, knees, and knuckles

- Difficulty sleeping, or staying asleep, awake for hours in the middle of the night

When prediabetes progresses to type 2 diabetes some signs include

- Fatigue
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Blurred vision

How can prediabetes be diagnosed?

Our clinic can request blood tests to check how much sugar has been sticking to the red blood cells over the last three months

We can also analyse general pathology reports to check levels of glucose

Our analysis of pathology will also include other risk factors for heart disease including liver function.

Catch it early and reverse it.

Who am I?

I am a Bachelor qualified Naturopath who specialises in improving metabolic processes in the body. Major areas for improvement include gut, thyroid, kidney, skin and liver health. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, fatty liver, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, & irritable bowel conditions. I help my patients by giving them symptomatic relief while working on repairing the underlying causes of metabolic stress and waste accumulation. Patients experience amazing results which are seen in their blood tests with improved thyroid markers, cholesterol, and liver markers.  As well as lower blood pressure and see relief from improved gastrointestinal symptoms like the ones that mean you need to know where every single toilet is before you leave the house.

Melissa Callaghan ND, BHSc, BTeach
Clinical Naturopath

Appointments can be made for in our clinic as well as via video link. I help people all over the country and post their products out to them. I can help you too. 

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