These five easy checks can tell you if you have insulin resistance or are at risk for Diabetes.
Know your numbers and take charge of your health.
Do you have any of the following:
Blood Sugar Levels:
Fasting blood glucose level
Normal < 5.5mmol/l
Impaired 5.5 - 6.9mmol/l
Diabetes > 7mmol/l
Random blood glucose level
Normal < 7.8mmol/l
Impaired 7.8 - 11mmol/l
Diabetes >11.1mmol/l
Waist Circumference (measure around the widest part of your waist with a tape measure)
>80cm in females and >94cm in males
Body Mass Index
Use this free calculator to get your BMI https://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
>30kg/m2
Blood Pressure
>140/90
Lipid Profile Testing (blood test)
Triglycerides >1.1mmol/l
HbA1c* >5.7%
Score one point for any YES answer to the above.
3 or more YES answers put you at risk of prediabetes, insulin resistance and increased risk of developing chronic diseases, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, obesity, dementia and cancer.
Hyperinsulinemia / insulin resistance as well visceral adiposity can be attributed to all of these factors as well as contributing to chronic lowgrade inflammation which can be measured on a highly sensitive- CRP test. (HS-CRP)
*HbA1c is a measure of average blood sugar levels over the past 2 -3 months and is a measure of damage to the red blood cells due to glycation. This is a valid and reliable tool for screening for diabetes risk. If the client’s HbA1c score is between 5.7% and 6.4%, it is higher than normal and the client is at a higher risk for developing diabetes. If it is >6.5%, then the client is diabetic(2).
What can I do to improve my health?
The earlier you start to take charge of your health the better. Start with knowing your numbers and making small changes to improve your insulin resistance and reduce your risk of developing diabetes or obesity.
Eat real, healthy and fresh foods
Focus on nutrient-dense foods like meat, fish, eggs and healthy fats
Remove additives, chemicals, preservatives, colourants and other harmful processed and packaged foods
Lower carbohydrate intake
Join a Low-carb support group or find a Metabolic Health Coach to assist with making lasting changes to your health.
References:
1. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes-2021. Diabetes Care. 2021 Jan 1;44:S15–33.
2. Diabetes UK [Internet]. United Kingdom: The British Diabetic Association; 2024. Prediabetes; [cited 15 Mar 2024]. Available from: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2/prediabetes.
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